The Dark Ones Daughter: New Age
by kmgproductionz
Summary: The third installment of 'The Dark Ones Daughter'. Penny has broken her own curse, helped break the towns curse. What now?
1. Chapter 1

Penny knew she was acting childish. Not answering her phone, not answering the door. It seemed like every hour someone was at her door knocking. But she stayed in bed, cuddled under her blankets, tear strains on her pillow. She wanted to be left alone. She wanted silence. But mostly she wanted Killian. But that was impossible.

She closed her eyes tight when the knocking on her door started again. She just wanted to scream; _GO AWAY. _But she wouldn't. She'd simply stay in bed. Penny sighed, stretching in her bed until her toes stuck out from under the blankets. She pulled the covers off and looked at the clock on the side of her bed. It was near noon. She'd been locked away in her apartment for a whole day. She supposed she should get out of bed. Even though she didn't want to face the world. A world without Killian.

It hadn't hit her before. Because all the while when she had her memory back, her one goal was to help break the curse. _Well, _and to kill her father. But all she ever focused on was breaking the curse. That and her magic. Jefferson had been there to help her with that.

She missed Jefferson.

He had sided with Regina and with all honesty, she didn't blame him. She had shut him down, all but told him that she'd never be with him. _It's always going to be Killian. _But that was the truth. She and Killian were bonded in life and death. Penny looked down at her hands and thought of something she hadn't thought of in a while.

Mainly because it was too hard to think about.

Not many people knew it. Hell, no one knew besides Killian and Penny. It had happened suddenly – the night before Killian was set to fight Rumpelstiltskin. Killian had grabbed her; they ran away from their crew in the middle of the night and off into the forest.

"_We're running!" Penny said as they ran through the forest. "To where? A place he won't find us?" She asked. _

"_Anywhere we go – he will find us." Killian reminded her, his hand in hers. She simply followed his lead as he pulled her through the forest. _

"_Then where are we going?" Penny asked. If they weren't running, where were they going? She didn't want to be running in the forest; she wanted to be with Killian in their little room of The Jolly Roger. She had a plan. While Killian was sleeping, she'd sneak away and meet up with her father. Make some sort of deal with him to spare Killians life._

_She hadn't seen her father in years. And now he was The Dark One. A name people feared. But he was still her father, right? She could talk with him, make him understand how much she loved Killian. Let him see that she was alive, unlike Killian had led him to believe. _

"_**She died,"**__ Killian had told her father. __**"A long time ago."**__ But that wasn't the truth. _

_She would talk to her father, make a deal with him. Rumpelstiltskin was known to love making deals. She'd give him whatever he wanted. Just as long as he spared Killians life. _

_Killian finally answered Penny. "We're going to find a Grand Maester." He told her._

_Penny chuckled. "So you can confess your sins? Killian we'd be there all night and I much rather spend the night _sinning _with you." She teased._

"_I won't to do something before I die." Killian said causing Penny to stop abruptly. He groaned, knowing that when he turned around, there was a chance that Penny might slap him. But instead, when he turned around, he was faced with tears. "Oh, love." He sighed. "I'm sorry."_

"_You can't die." She told him, sniffling. "And you won't die." She let go of his hand, wiping away the tears. "I won't let you." _

_Killian pulled her to him, his arms wrapped around her waist. He looked down at her as she looked up at him, tears still fresh in her eyes. "I love you, Penny." He told her. "With all my heart. I love you … more than I love myself. I'd die for you."_

"_-No,"_

"_Penny," He said softly. "We don't know what will happen." His hand moved to her face, wiping a tear away. She had tried to be so strong, strong for him. His pirate Queen. But she couldn't hold it in anymore. "Do you love me?"_

_She took in a deep breath, closing her eyes as she leaned in to his touch. "With all my heart."_

_What he did next caused Penny to take in a sharp breath. He was on one knee now. "Penny," He said; his voice steady. "I love you. Will you please be my wife?" He asked her, pulling out a small ring from his pocket. To say she was in shock was an understatement. Pirates didn't get married. "Do you remember Agrabah?" He asked her, capturing her attention. "It was the first adventure we ever went on." Killian slipped the ring on her finger. "I stole this from the kingdom – you scolded me for taking the princesses jewelry." He chuckled. "it was a month after I first met, after I stole you." He smirked. "And I took the ring … because I wanted to marry you."_

"…_Killian," She whispered._

"_And now I'm running out of time. I've waited long enough to ask you … marry me, Penny." It wasn't a question, but he wasn't demanding her. _

_Penny smiled, she could hardly see him through the tears in her eyes, everything was a blur. "I'll marry you, Killian Jones. With all my heart, I will marry you." She said causing him to grin, stand up from the ground and pick her up in his arms. He kissed her, desperate but sweet. Penny felt herself melting in his arms – her arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed him back. _

_She would marry Killian Jones tonight. Even if it was the last thing she did. _

The knocking at the door brought Penny's mind back to the reality before her. The one where she was left utterly alone. She took in a deep breath and got up from bed, left her bedroom, and walked to her front door. Bracing herself for whoever was standing on the other side of it.

She opened the door to see Henry on the other side. She looked down at him, arching a brow. What did he want?

"Emma says you want to be left alone." He told her.

"Emma's right." She mumbled.

"I just want to say thank you." Henry told her. "-For breaking the curse. You've changed everything now!"

"I didn't do it. Your mom did." Henry frowned. Penny just wanted to go back to bed. "What do you want, Henry?" She finally asked him.

"We're having a celebration. To celebrate everyone getting their memory back … I want you to come." His voice was small.

"No thank you," She started to shut the door only to have Henry push it back open.

"I know you're hurting, Penny." He told her. "Everyone is getting their happily ever after and … you're not." He said softly, not wanting to upset her. "But maybe this is a chance to start over?"

Now he sounded like Jefferson. Penny shook her head. She didn't want to start over. She wanted Killian. "Thank you for stopping by, Henry." She told him. "But I'm not feeling up for a party." She told him before shutting the door, leaving Henry standing alone on the other side.

Penny moved back towards her room and thought more of the night Killian proposed.

"_Are we really going to do this?" She asked Killian as they walked through the square. _

_He chuckled. "As long as we can find a bloody Maester." _

_She pulled him back to her, stopping him from moving any more. "Killian, are you sure you want to do this?" She asked him. He shook his head with a chuckle._

"_Don't tell me you're getting cold feet, love." _

_She laughed. "Never!" Penny answered. "But you told me before; pirates never marry."_

"_We are the exception, darling." Killian moved forward and kissed her, causing her to stand on her tip toes so her lips reached his. He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her waist and mumbled against her lips. "Let's get married." _

_Penny smiled against his lips. "OK." _

_They searched the small village for a Maester, finally finding one who conducted the ceremony. Penny felt her heart flutter each time Killian would steal a glance at her during the ceremony. They were meant to face the Maester, look him in the eyes and say the words. But they couldn't keep their eyes off the other. Killians eyes were always on Penny, it was no shock that on this day, he couldn't look away from her. _

"_I hereby seal you these two souls, binding them as one," The Maester wrapped the ropes around their connected hands until they were tied together. "For eternity." He smiled. _

_Penny looked to Killian who smiled down at her. The Maester stepped back, "Look upon one another, and say the words." He instructed him. Penny blushed under Killians gaze, an in union, they both began to speak. _

"_I am his," Penny said._ _"I am hers," Killian spoke. "And he is mine." Penny finished, just as Killian said; "And she is mine." Killian smiled down at Penny causing her to grin. " From this day, until the end of my days." _

_Killian took no time to move forward and take Penny's lips with his own once they stopped speaking, finished saying their vows. She giggled and gripped on to his shoulders, kissing him back._

_They were blissful in that moment. All of their troubles seemed so far away. Penny's father was not a threat in that moment, no one was. They were the only people in the world. Killian gripped on to her hips, pulling her against him. "Now, my wife," He smirked. "Perhaps it's time to return to the marital bed?" He teased causing her to laugh, nodding her head._

"_Indeed." She agreed with a smirk. _

Penny wanted her ring back. She used to wear it around her neck, hidden away from her father. She had only worn it once on her finger. Once her curse had been broken, she searched her apartment for it. It must have been there, it had to be. Where else would it be? But she couldn't find it. The ring was beautiful. It was _her _ring. Yes, it had belonged to a princess and yes, it was technically stolen. But it was _her _ring. The ring was looped into an infinity. She had worn it around her neck when she showed up to where her father and Killian were fighting. She didn't want her father to see it.

He never asked about the ring, though she was sure he had seen her wearing it around her neck. He had kept her locked away for three hundred years – there was no way he hadn't seen it hanging from her neck.

Perhaps he had her ring.

"I love you, Killian." Penny whispered to no one.

* * *

The knocking started again a few hours after Henry had left. Penny was curled up in her bed, covers over her entire body. She wasn't going to answer the door this time. She would ignore the knocking, the knocking would go away. But it didn't. It continued.

Louder.

Penny groaned, flinging the covers off of her and storming to the apartment door, opening it. She flung it open and saw Jefferson on the other side.

"Really?" She scoffed. "_You're_ here." Penny shook her head. "You - are here. Goodbye, Jefferson." She said, shutting the door. Penny began to walk away only to jump when she heard her front door open. Jefferson let herself in. "-Jefferson!" She shouted. "Get out!"

"How are you?" He asked her. Penny moved forward and placed her hands on Jefferson, pushing him towards the door. "I take it not well." He said, finally using his weight to over power Penny. "Penelope,"

Penny glared. "-Don't call me that."

"_Penny,_" he said instead. "We need to talk."

"No we don't." She disagreed.

"-I'm sorry!" He yelled, stopping her from saying anything further. "I saw a chance to get Grace back and I took it! She's my daughter, Penny!" He reminded her. "And I'd do anything for her. That meant working with Regina – and guess what? The curse was still broken. You still did it."

"-Emma did it."

"Emma couldn't have done it without you."

She didn't want the credit for breaking the curse because _she _was still cursed. Cursed to live without Killian. Cursed to live without her husband. "Go home, Jefferson." Penny told him in annoyance. "Go home to your daughter."

"We need to talk." He said again.

"I don't want to talk to anyone – I don't want to _see _anyone. I want to be left alone!" Penny yelled at Jefferson. "Why are you even here?" She asked him. "You have Grace now – you have your family back." She reminded him. "So why don't you go back to it and leave me the hell alone?"

Jefferson bit down on his lip. He couldn't keep this from her anymore. "He's alive." He told her.

"Who?" She glared.

"Your pirate," He told her. "Killian is alive."

* * *

**AN:** Ya! Penny knows Killian is alive. I hope you guys liked the wedding scene. Since Game of Thrones is my absolute favorite, I decided to use some stuff from that show. Hope you guys liked the first chapter of the new story!


	2. Chapter 2

"You're lying to me." Penny said once she heard Jefferson say the name. She felt her anger rise. "And lying to me about that is not good for you, Jefferson."

"I traveled with him." He told her. "Rumpelstiltskin sent me to get information from your pirate, to find out what he was doing back in the Enchanted Forest, to find out when Killian would attack." Penny took a step backwards. "He lived in Neverland for three hundred years – waiting. Waiting to kill your father." Jefferson cleared his throat. "I knew your pirate as _Hook. _Captain Hook. It's what he went by after he thought you died. He wouldn't let anyone else call him _Killian. _Not after you."

"…Are you lying to me?" She whispered. Her eyes full of tears. She sounded so scared.

Jefferson shook his head. "No." He told her. "I've kept this secret long enough. Rumpelstiltskin threatened Grace. She was only a baby. He took her away from me and kept her away until I did what he bid me to do."

"Killians alive?"It was as if she wasn't even listening to him. "Where is he?"

Jefferson thought Penny would be enraged with him – that she'd zap him with her power. That he'd be a dead man. But he could see it in her eyes. All she wanted was to be reunited with Killian. "I don't know where he is. I've searched the town."

"He would have found me by now if he was here." Penny told Killian. She was shaking her head. How was this all possible? He was alive? "Jefferson, tell me where he is!"

* * *

"A beanstalk?" Killian commented as he looked at the giant beanstalk in front of him. Cora stood at his side, a smirk on her face. "-We're to climb a beanstalk?"

"To get a magical bean, yes." Cora answered. "I believe you have some experience in them, captain."

"-I have experience with the beans, not the giant who grows them."

Cora laughed. "Don't tell me you're afraid, Hook." The pirate rolled his eyes. "You told me once that you'd do anything to get your love back."

He glared at her. "And I will."

"Well then, let's get going. You're not the only one who has something waiting for them in Storybrooke."

Cora had her daughter; the evil queen, Regina. Quite a reunion that would be. Hook had been sent to kill Cora on orders of the queen herself. She wanted her mother dead. But Cora had swayed Hook. It was easy to do with her hand wrapped around his heart.

"What do you think will happen when you're reunited with your daughter? That she'll forgive everything you've done? If stories are true; I do believe you killed her true love." Hook mocked Cora as they climbed the bean stalk.

They each wore something around their wrist, protection. Cora hadn't gone in to detail about it. The less Hook knew the better. Cora ignored him. She had done what she had to do – to protect her daughter, to secure her daughters place on the throne.

"Not so chatty anymore, I see?" Hook smirked.

Cora continued to climb. They would be climbing for hours – she didn't want to hear Hooks pestering questions the entire way up. "I can always shut your lips for you." She threatened him. "I do enjoy silence on a long journey."

"Oh, now." Hook chuckled. "Now you've gone and hurt my feelings. Truly, Cora, I thought I meant more to you than that. I consider us to be friends."

"Would you like to get back to your love, Hook?" She asked him.

Cora knew that whenever she brought of Penny to the man, he changed. He would grow serious, willing to do anything for her. He remained silent for the rest of their journey.

* * *

"He's in the enchanted forest?" Penny dressed herself, throwing on a pair of clean jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Jefferson was waiting for you in her living room. "I thought the enchanted forest was destroyed by the curse."

Jefferson didn't answer her. She walked out of her room to meet him.

"-Jefferson," she gained his attention.

"I don't know if it was destroyed. All I know is that if he's not here- he's there." Penny had a grim thought. _Or dead. _Jefferson seemed to sense her thought. "He didn't die. He's too stubborn. I'm sure he found some way to survive the curse."

"Well there's one person who will know for sure. _Regina._" Penny said as she walked forward. Jefferson stopped her, grabbing her by the arm and bringing her back to him.

"Penny," He said softly. "I'm sorry."

Her expression was blank. "Jefferson, the only reason why you're here right now is because of Grace. Believe me, if you didn't have someone waiting for you – you'd be dead. You knew all this time that Killian was alive –you led me to believe he was dead." She glared at him. "You're as bad as my father." She told him before yanking her arm away from him and walking forward. "You're also here because you can help me. Now take me to where Regina is hiding." She demanded.

She hadn't spoken to anyone in that tone in a long time. Not since she helped Killian man his ship. She would bark out orders on the ship all the time and everyone would listen to her. She was their Queen.

It was about time she started acting that way again.

* * *

"Henry!" A voice called out, stopping the young boy from walking in to the diner where his Emma and the town's people were waiting for him. He turned around to see Mr. Gold standing a few feet away from him. A part of him was scared.

Did Rumpelstiltskin know that Henry helped Emma and Penny break the curse? Was he here to kill him? Henry turned back around and tried to walk in to the diner only to have Gold call out for him again. "-I'm not going to hurt you, boy." He told him.

Henry slowly turned around again, facing Gold. He could be brave.

"What do you want?"

Gold was silent for a moment, trying to think of the words to say. It was simple what he wanted. He wanted Penelope. "How is Penelope?" He asked. "Have you talked to her?"

Henry didn't know if he should be telling him anything about Penny. "She's … upset." He told Gold. Mr. Gold nodded his head. He could understand that. "She won't leave her apartment or open the door for anyone. She says she wants to be left alone." Henry watched as Gold began to turn and walk away. "-You can't take her again." Henry told Gold causing him to turn back and face the young boy. "If that's what you're planning. There are people in this town willing to fight for her this time."

Gold chuckled. "Is that so?"

"Yes." He made his voice strong. "You may have your powers again, Rumpelstiltskin – but you've been defeated before. It can happen again. So leave Penny alone." He threatened. "Or we'll come after you." He spoke on behalf of the town.

Gold was surprised by Henrys threat. He was sure everyone in this town feared him again. But not this young boy. This boy may be Rumpelstiltskin's downfall. So Gold simply stood straight. "Have a nice party, Henry." He told him before walking away. Henry watched as he walked down the street, away from the diner. He wasn't going to get Penny. Not this time.

* * *

"Where are we?" Penny asked as they walked through the woods and arrived at the cemetery. "Regina is hiding in a cemetery. Of course she is." She said in annoyance.

"She's hiding out in her father's crypt." Jefferson pointed to the large crypt. "Underground."

"How do we get in?" She asked him. Jefferson hadn't said much after they left Penny's apartment. There was nothing to say. Everything Penny said to him – he deserved. But it didn't change his feelings for her. He still loved her. _Yes, _love. He tried to fight it for the sake of his friendship with Hook – but he knew that as soon as Penny found some way to get to her pirate and told him that Jefferson knew that she was alive – he'd be good as dead.

"You're going to use your magic." He told her.

She didn't want to use her magic. It had taken a lot from her to help Emma break the curse by using her magic. Hell, it nearly killed her by sending her flying into a tree branch. She was still tired. "Is there any other way?" She asked him.

Jefferson stopped and faced Penny. "Is there a reason you don't want to use your magic?" He asked her. Penny looked to him for a moment, and then looked away. "Penny?"

"I'll be fine." She told him. Though she was saying it more to herself. "Let's go." She told him, ignoring the nagging feeling that she was doing the wrong thing. She could go to anyone for help – Queen Snow – she befriended many Queens and Princesses while she was in Storybrooke. She could go to David; he was a King in their land. At least that's what she had heard from the guards of Regina's castle. They were always talking about Queen Snow and King James, how they had ruined their queen's life.

She should turn around and go to them for help.

But could they help the way Regina could?

"You're a portal jumper." Penny said to Jefferson on their journey down the crypt. "Can't you use your hat to send me back to the enchanted forest?"

"No," he told her. "It doesn't work anymore." He explained. "Regina and I used the last of it to retrieve something – but all the magic is sucked out of the hat now."

"Even with magic back?" She asked.

"Magic may be in Storybrooke – but the hat is dead, Penny There's no restoring it."

She contemplated another way to the Enchanted Forest, to Killian. But her mind drew a blank. "Does he know I'm alive?" Penny asked Jefferson.

Jefferson looked down to the floor. "No, he believes your dead."

"But he has a vendetta against my father."

"Yes."

Perhaps Killian could find a way to this world. From what Jefferson told her; Killian had spent three hundred years in Neverland – waiting, plotting to make a move against her father. He was strong. Stronger than her. He could find a way to her.

"We're here." Jefferson said. Penny looked at him in confusion. It was just a brick wall in front of them.

"It's a wall."

"That's what Regina would want someone looking for her to think. It's disguised. You can use your magic to destroy the wall." Jefferson told her. "Just close your eyes and imagine the wall gone." He instructed her. Penny did as she was told, envisioning the wall breaking in front of her. When she opened her eyes Regina was standing in front of them. A look of hatred on her face.

"I should have known you'd tell someone I was here." Regina seethed, sending Jefferson flying into the wall. Penny moved forward and sent a wave of power at Regina, knocking her down and releasing the hold she had on Jefferson. Regina gasped.

"You little bitch!"

Penny smirked. "You owe me a favor." She said as she walked over Regina, standing over her.

"I owe you nothing!"

"You kept me prisoner!" Penny yelled. Regina laughed.

"Your father kept you prisoner, Penelope. I gave you a home." Regina reminded her. "I gave you a room, anything you desired. I didn't keep you locked away in a tower. That was your father."

"You knew Killian was alive."

"Oh," Regina chuckled. "So she knows Hook is alive?" Regina looked to Jefferson. "You know he'll have your head for this."

Jefferson rolled his eyes. "I've already been decapitated. I can take it again for Penny."

"Is that so?" Regina smirked.

"Enough!" Penny shouted. "I came here for answers and if you can't give them to me – I'll find someone who can."

Regina looked to Penny. "What do you want to know?"

"Was the Enchanted Forest destroyed?" She asked.

"No." Regina spoke honestly.

"Is there a chance he could have survived the curse?" She asked next. Regina sighed. _Yes. _She took in a deep breath. "Is there a way to get back to our land?"

"A portal. Which we don't have."

"We've already discussed this." Penny dismissed Regina. "But there's got to be another way. Can you create a portal?" She asked.

"If I could, do you truly think I'd still be in Storybrooke?" Regina laughed.

* * *

"How do we even know there will be a bean here?" Hook asked as they made it to the top of the bean stalk. Cora rolled her eyes.

"Where there's a giant – there's beans."

"And if there's not?"

"You worry too much, Captain. You don't need to. I'll get you back to your beloved."

"I can trust you to do that?"

Cora chuckled. "You've been trusting me for twenty-eight years. Why stop now?" She asked him. _Because I have something to lose now. _He always had something to lose, but he was never this close to it before. Hook stared at Cora, trying to read her. But he couldn't see through her. He never knew if she was lying to him. "Captain Hook," She said now, "I promise you – as long as I live. You and your _true love _will be united once again." Cora swore.

Hook nodded his head. That's what he needed to hear.

"Well then, Cora." He smirked. "Let's go find us a giant."

* * *

"There's nothing we can do, Penelope!" Regina told her over and over again. _Nothing we can do – nothing you can do. _"Accept that."

"I will not." She shook her head. "I won't give up on him – I will _never _give up on him." Penny stepped forward, closer to where Regina and Jefferson stood. "I am the Dark Ones daughter!" Penny raised her voice. "I am the Pirate Queen. And I will do whatever it takes to get my true love back – even if it means my death!"

Regina smirked. "Well, _Pirate Queen … _I much prefer this side of you, my dear." Regina walked towards one of the cabinets in the hidden room. "There is … _something_," Regina told Penny. "That will give you the answers you seek." She pulled out a crystal ball. "If your pirate is alive, you'll be able to see him, find out where he is. But if he's dead … well I'm sorry, my dear."

Penny took the crystal ball from Regina. "How do I make it work?" She asked.

Regina placed her hands over Penny's. "Think of him." She told her. "If you love him enough – you'll see him."

Penny looked down at the ball, looking inside the crystal. _If you love him enough – you'll see him. _She loved Killian more than anything in the world.

Something began to appear and Penny's heart felt like it would burst. It was him, it was Killian. "_Killian," _She said softly. Regina stood behind her, watching what she saw. Regina felt her heart drop when she saw who Hook was with. _Mother, _she whispered.

She hadn't anticipated seeing her mother. She needed to act fast.

Before Penny had a chance to say anything, Regina plunged her hand into Penny's chest, pulling out her heart.

"NO!" Jefferson yelled, catching Penny before she could hit the ground.

Regina laughed. "Don't worry, dear Jefferson. I won't kill her. Not yet." She smirked.

Jefferson looked down at Penny, her eyes were closed. He then looked back to Regina. "Why would you do that?" He yelled. "She was willing to work with you – to help you get back to the Enchanted forest."

Regina shook her head. "As powerful as she is – there's someone more powerful than her. Someone who can actually help. _Rumpelstiltskin. _And as long as I have his daughters heart; I own him."She looked down at Penny. "Be a dear and take her to her father. Tell him that Hook is on his way to Storybrooke, and that he's not alone." She sighed. "It seems my mother is with him as well."

Jefferson brushed the hair away from Penny's chest. "-If you do anything to her," he threatened Regina.

"Oh hush, Jefferson. I'm not going to do anything to her. Unless her father doesn't agree to the arrangement. Now go!"

Jefferson picked up Penny in his arms, carrying her limp body out of the room. She felt dead. Tears stung in his eyes. This was his fault. He should have never taken her to Regina. _I'll get you out of this, Penny. _He whispered. _I swear it._

* * *

Gold was woken by the pounding on his door. He looked out his window and didn't see an angry mob outside. The town wasn't coming for him yet. He got out of bed and walked down stairs to see Jefferson on the other side. He opened the door and was surprised to see that Jefferson was holding someone. His heart stopped when he saw who he was carrying. "What happened?" He asked Jefferson.

"It was Regina." Jefferson told Gold. "She took her heart."

Gold froze. "How?" He finally spoke.

"Penny went to Regina for help to get back to the Enchanted Forest."

"Why would she want to go back?" He asked.

Jefferson braced himself. "Because she knows he's alive." Before Gold could rip out his heart, Jefferson spoke up. "Now is not the time, Rumple. If you want to kill me later – fine. But right now we need to help Penny. _Your daughter. _I know you love her, you do." He told him. "Now _please, _save her."

Gold looked to Penny, limp in Jefferson's arms. "Come inside." Gold told Jefferson. Jefferson sighed in relief and walked into his house. Gold ushered him to the living room, helping him lay Penelope down on his couch. "What does she want?" He asked Jefferson as he pushed hair away from his daughters face.

"Protection."

"From who? The town?" Jefferson shook his head. "Then from who?"

"Regina said that Hook is on his way to Storybrooke. And that he's not alone … she said Cora is coming with him."

* * *

"Now what?" Hook asked as they stood next to the giant's body.

"Now?" Cora smirked. "Now we go to Storybrooke."

* * *

**AN:** Okay guys! Sorry if this was a mess! I wanted to get this chapter out today so sorry if it's sloppy! Thank you all for your kind reviews! I love getting them – they make me happy and more in the mood to write more! I hope you guys don't hate me for this chapter though ;) Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

For three hundred years, he hated to sleep. He would wake up in the middle of the night, panting, and covered in sweat – having had false visions put in his head by the dark one. He thought sleep would come easy knowing that Penny was alive. And sleep had come easy after he saw her living in a different world. But that didn't stop the memories of her that when he woke he'd feel lost. Lost without her.

But he liked this dream. He remembered the memory well. They had been on the ship for over a month, waiting to set sail at the nearest shore. Penny had snuck into his room again, still defiant as ever when he would ask her to simply move in to his room. She had snuck into his room and climbed under the covers, wrapping her arms around his body. _"Is the storm keeping you up, love?" _He would ask her.

"_I can never sleep alone when it's like this." _Penny told him, whispering against his skin. He should really be up on deck, helping the crew. But he wanted to stay with Penny. Feel her hold on to him as the storm passed. She had been living the pirate life for over a year, never once asking for him to take her back to her home.

_She was his. _

"_Besides, I'm cold." _She told him.

"_Well then," _Killian would smirk. _"Allow me to warm you up." _Penny would giggle as he settled himself on top of her, smothering her with kisses. She would laugh as his whiskers rubbed against her skin, scrapping slightly. But she loved the feeling. It was utterly Killian. It wasn't long before his mouth moved lower, kissing and licking and nipping at her skin.

"_You say you're cold. But I know what you really are," _Killian would say causing her to blush. Penny would move her hands to his head and would push him lower causing him to chuckle. It wasn't lady like to act this way, especially with someone who was not your husband – nor even your betrothed. But she loved the sensation. It drove her wild.

Killians head would pop up and he would grip on to her hips, positioning them both and Penny would feel her heart rate speed up. Killian would be inside her and she would claw at his back as they moved, forgetting all about the storm and the cold.

"_Killian," _Penny would whisper, tangled up against him, her head on his chest, moving slowly up and down from his breathing.

"_Yes, love?" _He answered. He smiled when he felt her mouth pressing tiny kisses against his skin.

"…_Perhaps you are right?" _She said quietly.

"_Well I'm right about most things, sweetheart." _He teased causing her to playfully hit his chest. He chuckled. _"Right about what?" _

She took in a deep breath. _"Maybe it would be best….if I just moved in to your cabin." _

Killian turned his head to face her. _"I would like that very much." _

Her eyes lit up. _"Really?" _She smiled.

"_I mean, it's taken you long enough." _He told her causing her to grin at him. _"I've only been asking for the past year." _

"_Well I was quite content with my living quarters." _Penny would tell him. Killian would chuckle and press his lips to her forehead, moving to his side so he was facing her.

"_Sharing a bed with me is much more fun." _He smirked causing her to blush.

Something changed in the air, something was different. He had this dream often, she would kiss him next, telling _I'm quite fond of you, _and then they would fall asleep. But something was changing. He looked to Penny and found that she was no longer by his side.

This wasn't how the dream was supposed to go.

"_Killian!" _Her voice made his head snap in its direction. He could see her across the room, gasping, grabbing at her chest. "_Help me!" _

She was gone with a purple cloud, leaving nothing behind, no trace that she had ever been there. "Penny!" Killian shouted.

His eyes snapped open; he was no longer in his room. He was in the woods. He looked around, trying to find Penny. But she wasn't there. He pushed himself to sit up.

"Bad dream?" Cora asked, watching as Hook sat himself up. He glared at her. "I heard you, you know." She told him. Hook stared at her. "You had a nightmare. _Well, _it wasn't all a nightmare." She could help but chuckle. "But the end turned in to a nightmare. Care to talk about it, Captain?" She asked him.

"No." He replied, still glaring.

"-Was it the image of her false death?" She asked him, ignoring the pirate. He shook his head. "Oh, something new!" She laughed. "Perhaps you envisioned her in the arms of a nobleman, or a prince – a king perhaps!"

"You find this all amusing." He seethed.

"I have to find things amusing or else I'd be bored to death. So tell me, pirate. What was the dream?"

"It wasn't a dream." He told her. "It was a memory that … turned in to something else entirely." He grumbled, rubbing his temples. "It felt like a warning."

"Could be," Cora shrugged. "Or it could be your mind playing tricks on you. Either way, it's not important. What's important now is getting to Storybrooke. So if you don't mind," Cora stood up, fixing her dress. "I'd like to finish our journey back to your ship so we can _leave_." She glared before walking away.

Killian shook his head, standing up. Something was happening to Penny in her world. Something bad.

* * *

Gold had threatened him again. As well as his daughter; _my daughter is missing a heart because of you – why shouldn't I take your daughters heart as well? _Gold had asked Jefferson. He was enraged. Not only because he threatened his daughter _yet _again. But because Jefferson had never meant to put Penny in harm's way, he knew he shouldn't have taken her to Regina and he hated himself for it – but he had, and there was nothing he could do to change that. Now Penny was missing her heart.

Gold didn't want him anywhere near Penny, he had told him to leave, threatened him when he said no. But Jefferson had a plan. It would help fuel Gold's anger towards Regina even more.

He walked through the lower part of the hospital where he knew someone was being hidden away. Someone Gold believed was dead.

Jefferson had kept a lot of secrets in his life, aside from lying to Penny about Killian – this was the biggest.

Jefferson walked into the padded room, watching as a woman got up when he entered the room. "Hatter?" She recognized him. "What's going on, why am I here?" She asked.

He sighed, happy that she remembered him. "Come with me." He told her. This was be easy for him since she knew who he was, not a complete stranger. She didn't understand. Jefferson sucked in air. "I need to take you to Rumpelstiltskin," He told the woman.

She nodded. "But how will we get out?"

"Just trust me, Belle."

* * *

She gasped when she woke up, her hands reaching out for something to grab. Gold was at her side, sitting next to her on the bed she laid on, "What happened?" She asked, "What – how – why am I here?" Penny looked around her surroundings. When her father tried to grab her hand she pulled away from him.

"Penelope," He said softly.

Penny was looking through him – she wasn't seeing him. She was remembering. She gasped and clutched her chest. "That bitch!" She cried out.

"It's going to be OK, Penelope." Gold tried to tell her. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to get your heart back."

"What does she want?" Penny asked her father. He was the last person she wanted to be talking to right now.

She was embarrassed. She made a mistake. She had gone to Regina for help. That was the last thing she would have done. _No, _the last thing she should do was expect her father to help her. Penny looked to him for answers.

"She wants my protection."

"From the town?"

He shook his head. "For what's coming." He looked down at his hands. "I know that you know about your pirate." He told her. Gold didn't apologize; he simply waited for her to speak. When she didn't, he continued on. "I know you know he's alive." She couldn't help but glare. "Back home … I was a different man."

"I don't want to talk about this right now." Penny told him. "-What do you mean _for what's coming. _What's coming, Rumpelstiltskin?" She asked, addressing him by his name. She wouldn't even call him _father. _

He sighed. "Cora." He told her. "Cora is trying to create a portal to this world…"

_Cora. _Who was Cora? And how could Regina have known that this Cora was trying to create a portal. "The only portal I care about is one that will bring me to Killian." She told him. Gold held back an irritated groan.

"Cora is Regina's mother," Gold explained. Penny remembered something. _Mother, _Regina had whispered before everything went black for her. There had been a woman with Killian – a woman who Regina called mother. Penny took in a deep breath.

Killian was trying to get to her.

"He knows I'm alive." She couldn't help but smile.

"-Penelope," Gold sighed. "If I let them come … Regina will kill you. I need to work with her in order to get your heart back – I won't risk you."

Penny shook her head. "No," She told him. "I don't care about getting my heart back – I care about getting _Killian _back."

"Yes, well I care about getting your heart back."

"-Since when!" She yelled. "Since when do you care about me, Rumpelstiltskin? Was it during the three hundred years I spent in a tower?"

"Penelope,"

"-Or the twenty eight years I spent was my memory gone?" She continued to yell. "Or maybe it was the nights you heard me crying myself to sleep or screaming awake when you would put visions of Killians death in my head?"

"There are things that I've done…Penelope, there is nothing I could say to you that would make you forgive me. But I can help keep you alive, and that's what matters to me. That's what always has mattered. I will not lose you."

Penny needed to think fast. She couldn't let her father work with Regina to keep Cora and Killian from coming. "Papa," She said softly, causing the man's eyes to look at her fast. She hadn't called him that in a long time. "You say that there are things you've done, things I could never forgive you for – but … _please, _Papa. I promise you , _everything _you've done to me – every single horrible thing you have ever done or put me through … I will forget, I will forgive you for everything if you _please _help Killian come back to me, _please_!" She began to cry. "Please, Papa. Please!" She grabbed his hand. "Please don't help Regina from keeping them out – help them come."

"I can't do that!" Gold yelled, pulling his hand away from Penelope. "What does it matter? If I help them get through, Regina will kill you. She will crush your heart in her hands – and you'd never even get a chance to see your pirate! It wouldn't matter because you'd be dead!"

Penny wiped her tears away. "Then we have to find a way to get my heart back." She told him.

"How?" He asked her.

"Well," a voice said from the doorway. Jefferson stood leaning against the frame of the door. "I don't have any brilliant ideas on how to get your heart back, Penny – but I do have some motivation for you, Gold." Jefferson said as he moved forward. "Motivation to _not _work with Regina and to help Penny and I get her true love back."

"What could you possibly have that would make me go against Regina when my daughters heart is on the line."

Jefferson smirked. "Well," He motioned for someone in the hallway to come forward. "I do believe you know this young woman."

Gold all but gasped when the woman entered the room he and Penelope were sitting in. "Belle," he said in a quick breath.

"Hello Rumple." She smiled at him.

Penny looked to Jefferson in confusion.

"Regina lied to you when she told you that Belle had died. She lived and was kept prisoner in Regina's castle." Jefferson explained. "You're not the only one to use that lie." Gold had walked up to the woman, taking her in his arms and kissed her which surprised his daughter. Jefferson cleared his throat causing the two to pull away. "Does knowing that she kept Belle locked away make you want to work with Regina?" He asked. Jefferson crossed the room and went up to where Penny was sitting.

Jefferson wasn't going to say anything about karmic payback, but when Regina confided in him that she had Belle – he couldn't help but laugh. This was karmic payback. Regina had done to Belle what Gold had done to his daughter. Except the things Rumpelstiltskin had put Penny through was much worse. Jefferson held out his hand for Penny to grab on to so she could stand up. He had a lot of making up to do for her to forgive him for lying to her about Killian – hopefully getting her father to help her was a start.

Gold held on to Belles hand and looked to Penelope. "I'll help you get your pirate back." Gold promised her. "But first we have to get your heart back."


	4. Chapter 4

"How are we going to get her heart back?" Jefferson asked Gold as they walked down the stairs of his house. Jefferson wanted to speak to Gold alone and told Penny to stay upstairs for a while. She had listened to him, surprisingly, and stayed upstairs with Belle.

"As much as I don't like saying this," He groaned. "But with the help of a ten year old."

Jefferson quirked his brow. "Henry?"

"Do you know any other ten year olds?" Gold replied.

Jefferson rolled his eyes. "How is Henry going to help us?"

Gold thought back on his conversation with Henry earlier that night and couldn't help but give in to a little smile. The little boy was willing to do anything to protect Penelope, now he had his chance. Penelope was in danger and it was up to Henry to help them. "He told me that the town would come after me if I did anything to Penelope. That they'd fight for her." He chuckled. "It's time for him to prove that." Gold said as he headed to the front door. "Stay with them until I come back with help. Perhaps slip Penelope a little something to help her rest,"

"-You want me to drug your daughter?"

"Regina could listen in to the conversation. If Penelope is asleep – she can't hear what's going on. Regina is in control of Penelope's body now; she can tap in to her heart at any time to see what's going on, so yes – I am asking you to drug my daughter." Gold said in irritation. "If you don't want her to be angry at you for it –perhaps tell her in advance." He said before putting on his jacket. "Now, let me fix this mess you've got her into." Gold said before leaving the house.

Jefferson shut the door behind him, closing his eyes and leaning his head against the door. "-It's not your fault." A voice said from up the stairs.

He looked to see Penny looking down at him. "I shouldn't have taken you to see Regina."

"I shouldn't' have asked to be taken," she replied. They could play the blame game for the rest of the night and get nowhere. "Regina is the _last _person I should have asked for help. _Well,_" She couldn't help but give in to a tiny chuckle. "The last person I should ask for help from is actually my father but I have no choice now."

"He'll find a way to fix this, Penny." He promised her. "You don't have to worry about that."

Penny smiled at him softly. "Yeah, well let's hope I live long enough for him to help."

He wanted to yell at her, shake her and tell her not to speak like that. But she wouldn't listen. She was just as scared as him. But she was more scared of dying before seeing Killian again. He was scared of losing her forever.

"Let's get you back to bed." He suggested. "I'm sure Gold has something here for sleep." He said with a forced smile. He didn't like the idea of drugging her again. What if while she was down, Regina crushed her heart? She'd never wake up. He wanted to be with Rumpelstiltskin right now helping to get her heart back. But he kept his forced smile and walked upstairs to where Penny was waiting for him.

* * *

The banging on the door woke up everyone in the small apartment; Mary-Margret, David, Emma, and Henry. "-Who is that?" Emma groaned in annoyance as she walked down the stairs, Henry following behind her. It was near midnight. Who the hell could be at the door?

_Well, _a number of people could be at the door. Everyone wanted more answers from them. _What's next? Are we going to go back to our land? How would we get back? _

The knocking continued until David answered the door. Emma let out a bark of a laugh when she saw who was on the other side of the door. "Well that was the last person I expected to see." She mumbled causing David and Mary-Margret stand in front of her, scared of what Rumpelstiltskin might do if he felt insulted.

"What do you want, Gold?" Asked David.

Gold stood his ground. "Your help." He confused.

"Why would we ever help you?" Mary-Margret stepped forward. "You helped create this curse – you trapped us all here. Emma was an orphan because of you."

Gold rolled his eyes. "Your daughter was an orphan because _you _both chose to send her away. You could have kept her with you and your daughter would have lived with her parents."

David glared. "We had no choice."

"Yes, yes, I'm sure that helps you sleep at night – but I'm not here to argue that. I'm here because like I said; _I need your help._"

"What do you want, Gold?" Emma spoke up.

Gold looked from Emma and then down to Henry. "I need your son."

"-Like hell!" Emma seethed.

"It's not for me." Gold told her. "We don't have time for this!" He finally had enough. "-There are two people coming to Storybrooke from the Enchanted Forest." Mary-Margret and David looked at each other in confusion. They had thought the enchanted forest was destroyed. "It's Cora."

"-Cora!" Mary-Margret said in shock. "I thought she was dead."

"Regina and I led most people to believe that."

"Oh, what a surprise – you worked with Regina to piss people off." Emma spoke up.

Gold ignored her. "Well now Regina feels threatened and she's willing to do whatever it takes to keep Cora out of Storybrooke." He told them. "She wants my help to stop them from coming and to get my help she has done something to ensure I will help her."

"And what's that?" Emma asked.

Gold took in a deep breath. "She took Penelope's heart."

"No!" Henry cried as he moved forward, only to have Emma hold him back.

"She knows that I will help her if she has Penelope's heart – she says if I don't help her, she'll kill my daughter." He watched as Henry shook his head defiantly.

"No," He said again. He looked to his family. "We can't let her!"

Emma nodded in agreement. "Give us all a second to get dressed, Gold." She told him, asking for some privacy with her family.

David pressed his hand to Henrys face once Emma shut the door. "We'll help Penelope, Henry." He told the young boy. David loved Penelope as much as they all did. He had grown close to her after she had nearly drown while sleep walking. He had viewed himself as a big brother to her. He was willing to do whatever it took to save her.

Mary-Margret took Emma aside. "Do you have a plan?" She watched as her daughter shook her head. She had no idea how to save Penelope.

"Work with Gold – hope he has a plan." Emma replied. Mary-Margret nodded in agreement. Though, she wasn't so sure about working with Gold. But the man was desperate to come to them for help. She wasn't going to say no to him – especially with Penelope involved.

The four all got dressed and joined Gold in the hallway of the building. "What's the plan?" Emma asked once they were all out of the apartment.

"Well normally I'd take what Regina treasures most in the world and use it against her – but I'm afraid if I took Henrys heart for Penelope's, she'd never forgive me."

Mary-Margret put her hands around Henrys body, pushing him back so his back was against her stomach, protecting him from Gold.

"-And if you did that, we'd kill you." Emma threatened him.

"Exactly," Gold said with a smirk. "So we're going to take another approach at this. _Henry, _you're going to ask your mother for Penelope's heart back."

"Do you really think that would work? Him simply asking her to return the heart?"

"Snow White," Gold said, playing shock. "I never thought you'd be the one to underestimate the power of a mother's love for their child."

"-She's not his mother."

"-She is though," Henry spoke up, causing all four adults to look at him. "I mean, she raised me. and Mr. Gold is right. If she does love me … she'll give me Penelope's heart."

"That'a boy!" Gold smirked in Henrys direction. "Now let's stop wasting time and save my daughter's life." He suggested before walking down the hall.

* * *

"I knew he had a daughter," Belle said as she sat down next to Jefferson, handing him a cup of tea as he watched Penny sleep. He had given Penny some sleeping pills that he found in Gold's cabinet, stirred it in some tea and waited until she drifted off to sleep. Jefferson took his eyes off of Penny for a second to look at Belle. She knew he had a daughter, but did she know the whole story? "He spoke of her a few times." Belle told him.

"What'd he say?" Jefferson asked.

"He spoke of how he made a lot of mistakes. Most of them involved his daughter and son. He talked about how even though they may never forgive him for the things he's done to them – he still wanted to make it up to them."

"He said that while back in the Enchanted Forest?" When Belle nodded, he couldn't help but laugh. If Rumpelstiltskin had truly felt this way he would never have done the things he did to Penny. If he wanted to make it up to her he should have let her go, tell her about Killian and let her run off with him ago. Because the thing that would be best for Penny was a world where her father wasn't in it.

"I know you find this humorous because of the times you've worked with Rumple." Belle said softly. "But he was a different man with me than he was with you."

"-And his daughter."

"Pardon?"

"Didn't you ever wonder why you weren't allowed to step foot in the north wing of his castle, Belle?" He asked her. "Why the tower was off limits?" When she didn't answer, Jefferson spoke up again. "Because that's where he kept her. In the highest tower of his castle. He spoke of wanting to make things up to her – he had her there the whole time and did nothing."

Belle sighed and looked to Gold's daughter. She hadn't known that. If she had, she might've helped her escape as she did the man Robin Hood. "Why did he keep her locked away?" She asked him, her eyes still on the girl who Rumpelstiltskin called _Penelope. _

Jefferson sighed and shook his head. He shouldn't have said anything to Belle. "That's a story for him to tell you." He said instead, not wanting to make Belle hate Rumple so soon. He needed her to stay here with Penny – he couldn't trust Rumpelstiltskin when it came to Penny. Not after hearing what Belle said. _Make it up to them. _He had every chance to do that and he continued to keep her locked away. What's to stop him from doing that again?

"-Watch her." Jefferson told Belle as he stood up. "She won't wake up for another few hours."

"Jefferson, where are you going?" Belle asked as she watched him walk to the bedroom door.

"I can't sit around and do nothing." He told her as he put on his jacket. Belle got up, followed after him, closing the door behind them – not wanting to wake Penelope. "-I can't just sit here and wait around, I need to be out there helping her."

"You can protect her here." Belle said suddenly causing Jefferson to turn and face him.

"I can't protect her here, Belle. Regina has her heart." He explained. "She can crush it at any time. You get that, right?"

"Yes, Jefferson. I get that, I'm not a simpleton." She replied, surprising Jefferson. He fought the smile that was trying to escape. She had Penny's fire. "But do you really want her to be alone if that happens?" She asked.

Jefferson shook his head. "I know where Regina is hiding – they don't, I didn't tell Rumpelstiltskin where she's hiding – they need me, Penny needs me."

"Penny needs you here." Belle told him, placing a hand on his arm.

"You don't understand." Jefferson shook his head.

"I do understand, Jefferson. I understand that you love Penelope." She told him. "And that you feel the need to help, but staying with her right now, that will help her. It may not seem like it – but the next time she wakes up she's going to be scared. Do you really want her to wake up alone?"

Jefferson closed his eyes. _No, _he didn't want her to be alone. "At least let me call Gold and tell him where Regina is hiding?" Belle smiled and nodded her head.

"Of course."

* * *

"I think I know where she'll be." Henry said as they walked down the road.

"So do I," Gold said as he hung up the phone. "Jefferson said Regina has been hiding in her father's crypt."

"Jefferson!" Emma said in disdain. "Why would you trust anything that lunatic has to say?"

"Jefferson isn't a lunatic." Henry spoke up.

"He kidnapped me." Mary-Margret reminded Henry.

"-And me." Emma added in.

Henry really didn't have an argument for that. Jefferson had been desperate and acted without thinking.

"-You said Regina was worried about two people coming to Storybrooke. You told us about Cora," Emma said as they walked to their cars. "Who's the other?"

"That doesn't matter." Gold said as he opened his car door.

"It obviously matters if Regina is that scared." Emma replied, stopping him from getting in the car. "Just who are we up against?"

Gold groaned. "…Captain Hook."

"He's real!" Henry said in excitement.

"Captain Hook? For real?" Emma laughed. "Why is Regina scared of a guy with a weird mustache and a bad perm?"

"She's not scared of him." Gold told them. "…I am."

"Rumpelstiltskin is scared of someone?" David asked, fighting a smirk. "Why?"

"Because he's either coming to Storybrooke to kill me or … it doesn't matter." Gold didn't want to say it. He was either here to kill him or to take Penelope again. He had just got his daughter back. Gold looked to Henry. "He wasn't always called Captain Hook, you know." He told the young boy. "They only started calling him that when I took his hand."

"What was his name before?" David asked.

But Gold kept looking to Henry. He knew that Henry would know who it was. "Killian Jones."

"Penny's Killian!" Henry shouted in shock. Gold shushed the boy and nodded his head. "-Does she know he's alive?" He asked. Gold nodded. "But I thought you killed him?"

"Perhaps I should have." Gold said under his breath. "Can we please get going now?"

"Of course." David agreed. "We'll meet you at the cemetery."

Gold nodded and got in his car. He was sure Henry was going to tell them all about Killian Jones on the way to the cemetery and he was glad he was driving his own car so he wouldn't have to deal with judgmental looks from the Charmings. He sighed and started his car. He promised Penelope that he would do this – get her heart back. But he wasn't so sure about getting her pirate back. The moment Killian Jones stood foot on this land – he'd be after Rumpelstiltskins head.

But then he thought of Penelope, her pleading eyes, begging him to find a way to bring Killian back to her. He couldn't do this to her again. Because even if he could find some way to stop Hook from entering their world, she'd simply find some way to enter their old one and he'd lose her forever again.

* * *

Regina looked down at the crystal ball in her hands, watching as her mother and Captain Hook journeyed to his ship. She could not let Cora come to this world. Not after everything Regina had done to her. Regina scowled when she watched Hook.

She should have known better than to entrust a pirate to do her dirty work.

"-Mom!" Henrys little voice caused her to nearly drop the crystal ball when she turned around to face the sound of his voice. She set the ball down when she saw Henry standing behind her.

"Henry?" She said in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"He's here with me." Gold said as he walked up from behind Henry. Regina seethed in anger. Gold held up his hand. "Now, now, calm down." He told her. "I didn't bring him here to hurt him in front of you. I brought him to help me."

"-He brought all of us." Emma said as she walked up from behind Gold, taking her place by Henrys side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We're here to get Penelope's heart back."

Regina laughed. "Sorry, not going to happen." She said with a cold demeanor.

"Mom!" Henry shouted, gaining her attention. "You can't do this." He told her. "Please!"

"Henry, if there was any other way – I would do it. I don't want to hurt you."

Henry shook his head. "But you are!" He told her. "You've hurt me by taking Penny's heart. And if you kill her, she's my best friend. She's my only friend! Please, don't do this, mom. Not to Penny. Not to my best friend!"

Regina's eyes filled with tears hearing his words. "I'm sorry, Henry." She told him. "It's the only way to ensure your safety. If the woman who is trying to come to our world comes – you'll be in danger." She shook her head. "I'm doing what I have to do to keep you safe."

"Then perhaps I just kill you." Gold said, a ball of fire forming in his hand. "'Cause that's me keeping my daughter safe!" He got ready to throw it only to have Emma push him out of the way.

"Gold! No!" Emma stopped him from throwing it at Regina. "No one is dying!" She yelled. "Everyone just needs to calm down!"

"There's no time for that!" Regina glared at Emma. "They'll be to their ship any minute now – they're coming – now! And we need to stop them. Help me, Gold – or your daughter won't live to see another sunrise!"

Gold looked to Regina and then to the Charmings. He walked over to Henry and shook the young boy's hand. "Tell Penelope I tried." He said softly. "And that I'm sorry."

With a cloud of purple smoke, the two villains disappeared.

"We have to stop them!" David said once the smoke disappeared and they were left alone. "If Henry is right – that's Penelope's true love coming for her. If they stop them from coming – she'll never see him again."

"We have bigger things to worry about, David." Emma told her father. "Penelope's heart, for starters. How the hell are we going to find it?"

"-I think I can help." Henry said softly, looking down at his hand.

"Do you happen to know where she hides her stash of hearts?" Emma ignored Henry, asking Mary-Margret. "I mean, you two have history – you have to have some idea where she keeps them locked away?"

"I don't." Mary-Margret answered. "Do you think it's down here?"

"Mom," Henry said, louder this time.

"We can look." David said.

"You guys!" Henry shouted, not gaining all of their attention. "Mr. Gold gave me something and it's shining." The three adults looked down at Henrys hand to see a silver ring glowing in his hands.

"What is that?"

"He's enchanted it." David said, remembering when Rumpelstiltskin had enchanted the ring Mary-Margret now wore on her ring finger so he could find her.

"How does it work?" Emma asked, taking the ring from Henry. She examined the ring, looking at the infinity on it.

"When he did the enchantment with your mothers ring," David spoke, grabbing the ring out of Emma's hands. "-He said it'd lead me to her."

"Well we already know where Penelope is. She's at Gold's house." Emma replied. "Wouldn't it just lead us to her?"

David shook his head and began to walk out of the room with the ring in his hands. "No," he told them, still walking forward. "It will lead us to her heart."

* * *

Penny was deep in slumber, not waking at the slightest noise. It would have been a hurricane outside and she'd still sleep peacefully through it. She wasn't having just a random dream, she was reliving a memory.

"_Killian Jones!" _She shouted as she waited for him in the forest. They had docked near a small village – the men on the ship wanting to stock up on supplies and perhaps share a bed with the local women at the tavern. She held a sword in her hand, twiddling it in the dirt. He promised he would teach her to fight But that had been hours ago. He had wandered off back to the ship to get another sword and she hadn't seen him since. A part of her wondered if he had simply set sail without her. But she knew he would never do that to her.

He had been drunk when he agreed to teach her how to fight. Perhaps he was passed out somewhere under a tree. That made her worry.

Penny turned around only to have a sword swung at her, she screamed, picking up her sword and fighting back, her blade kisses the steel of the other sword and she could see now that it was Killian in front of her. _"You drunken fool!" _She swore in anger. _"You could have killed me!" _

He laughed. _"I wouldn't have killed you." _He told her. _"I knew you'd fight back. Even though you're horrible with a sword." _

"_I am not horrible with a sword!" _She glared.

"_Yes you are, darling. Now let's practice on your stance, love." _He told her, putting his sword away and placing his hands on Penny's back, moving her to a better position. _"There, much better." _He told her, getting out his sword again. Penny smirked and moved back, pointing her sword at him. _"Sword fighting is like dancing, my love." _He explained to her, hitting her blade with hers, causing her to stumble backwards. _"And you're not a very good dancer."_

Penny struck at him with her sword but he blocked it. _"I am so a good dancer – I just don't like dancing with you!" _She lied and struck at him. Killian laughed as he blocked the blow once again. He watched as she huffed.

"_Use your eyes, Penny." _He told her. She glared at him. He hit her blade again, though this time it was from her blocking him from hitting her, though he never would hit her. He smirked, proud of her. _"Better." _

His words caused her to smile.

They had practiced for hours until Killian finally bested her, dropping his sword once he grabbed her by the hips and pushed her back to him. _"Enough sword fighting." _He told her, nipping at her ear. She laughed and stomped on his foot causing him to stumble backwards. She swung around and put the tip of her blade to his throat.

"_I win." _She told him causing him to chuckle.

"_Yes, love. You win." _

She was a better fighter without the sword, but he'd never tell her that.

Penny laughed and lay down next to him under the trees. _"I used to do this all the time." _She told him as he took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles.

"_What?" _

"_Lay in the grass, under the trees, looking at the sky." _She answered him. _"I used to run and run and run until I started spin and then I would fall on the ground and look up at the sky as my head continued to spin." _She confessed. _"And then I would lie on the ground until the green dots went away." _She said causing him to laugh.

"_That sounds highly entertaining." _She swatted at his chest.

"_It was!" _She would laugh. _"I used to do it for fun all the time. And then my mother died and I did it to escape. I didn't spin around anymore," _She told him. _"I just ran and ran until my heart felt like it would burst – just to get away. Even if it was only for a little while." _She turned and looked at him, her fingers moving to his chest, playing with the hair on it. _"And then one night I ran all the way to a tavern where I met a pirate."_

"_He sounds dashing." _Killian smirked.

"_He was dashing. And charming." _She added causing him to grin. _"And then he left and I met you." _She said causing him to flip them, pressing her back to the ground as he lay on top of her, causing her to squeal with laughter.

"_Oh, is that so?" _He asked with a grin. Penny laughed and moved forward, kissing him quick and soft. Killian looked down at her, a smile still on his face. _"I am quite fond of you, Penny." _He told her, moving down and pressing his lips to hers. She smiled as his lips left hers.

"_I am quite fond of you too, Killian Jones." _

"_Penny!" _A new voice said, causing her memory to disappear. _"Penny!" _She knew that voice. It belonged to Henry.

"-She's drugged Henry, it may take a while for her to wake up." She recognized Jefferson's voice.

"Oh, you drugged her – how surprising."

And that voice belonged to Emma. Was she still dreaming?

"How do you return a heart?"

And that was David. Why were they all here?

Oh god, she was dead, wasn't she?

"She has to wake up soon – we have to take her to stop her father from stopping Killian from coming." Henry said.

Penny fought so hard to open her eyes when she heard that. _Killian, _she mumbled, her eyes still closed. Henry grabbed her hand and tugged.

"Wake up, Penny!"

"What if we try and put her heart back in?" That was an unfamiliar, one she only heard a few times. It must be Belle. "Maybe that will wake her up."

"Perhaps," Jefferson said. Penny could hear footsteps coming closer to her and the weight on the bed change. Jefferson must be sitting next to her. "-Sit her up, Charming." Jefferson said. Penny then felt herself being lifted up. She hoped that whatever they were going to do would wake her up soon.

Jefferson looked down at the heart in his hands and then looked to Penny who David was helping sit up. David sat behind her, holding her up still. "-Do it." David told Jefferson.

The Mad Hatter took in a deep breath before thrusting his hand that held her heart back in to her chest. He watched as Penny's eyes shot open as she gasped for air. He let go quickly and pulled his hand out of her chest. She took in a deep breath of air, sucking it in and then placed her hand to her chest. It had worked! She smiled at Jefferson and moved forward and hugged him tightly.

_Yes, _she had been mad at him for lying to her about Killian – for letting her believe he was dead. But he had just given her heart back. That had to count for something, right? Plus she knew that he would help her stop Regina from not letting Killian enter their world. She smiled wide as she hugged him. _Killian, _she said softly. Jefferson pulled away when he heard the name.

"-We have to get to where your father and Regina are!" He said, pulling her up and out of the bed where she was leaning against David Nolan. "Come on!" He told all of them.

"What are we going to do?" She asked as Jefferson pulled her down the hall, David, Emma, and Mary-Margret followed behind her while Henry held on to her other hand and was dragged along from Jefferson.

Jefferson turned and looked to them all. He could see Belle following closely behind them. "No," he told her. "Stay here. Rumple wouldn't want you in the cross fire."

"He doesn't want his daughter in the cross fire either and yet she's still going. I'm not as weak as everyone thinks – I'm going with you guys." Belle told him. Jefferson sighed. Gold would kill him. But he didn't have time to argue with anyone – they needed to get going.

"Fine." He said, beginning to pull Penny again.

"-Where are we going, Jefferson?" She asked.

He chuckled. "Do you really think Killian would go anywhere without his ship?" He asked. He knew where they'd be. "We're going to the docks."

* * *

"Are you sure this is where they'll be?" Gold asked Regina as they walked onto the docks.

"That ship is the only thing Hook has left – he's likely to not leave it behind." She said in annoyance as they waited. "Besides, mother always did like a dramatic entrance."

"I remember." Gold smirked.

Regina eyed him. "Remind me, how did you know my mother?"

"We were lovers, my dear."

Regina scowled and looked away. "Forget I asked." She said. A wind picked up causing Regina to look out at the sea. She could see it. A portal was forming. "You ready?" She asked Gold, extending her hand out for him to grab a hold of.

He thought about how easy it would be to kill Regina in that moment. She was so vulnerable. But before he could do anything, a yelling stopped him.

"STOP!" Regina and Gold both heard. It was Henry. He was running towards them. Gold could see that Penelope was running behind him. "Stop what you're doing!"

"-What is this!" Regina seethed as she looked to Gold.

Gold smirked. "A distraction!" He said before grabbing her by the neck, choking her. Regina clawed at him, trying to stop him.

"No!" Henry screamed

"-Gold! No!" Emma yelled as they ran to where he was.

"Rumple, stop!" Belles voice broke through them all. Gold looked to see her running up to him, still in a hospital nightgown.

"She deserves to die!" Gold told Belle. "For what she did to you." Jefferson watched as Penny waited at the end of the dock, ignoring them all, waiting for a pirate ship to appear. Gold looked from Belle to Penelope. "-You want your pirate back, right?"

Penny looked away from the ocean and to her father. A small hand tugged at her own causing her to look down. "Penny, please!" Henry begged her, asking Penny to have Gold spare his mother. She sighed and moved forward and placed her hand on her father's shoulder.

"She deserves to die, Penelope." He told her.

"Some might say the same about you." She told him.

Gold's grip on Regina's neck loosened. He was hell bent on killing Regina for what she did to Belle – for stealing his daughter's heart – for everything. But Penelope had a point. _Some might say the same about you, _she told him. After everything he had done to her, Penelope was willing to forgive him if he helped her be reunited with her pirate. But if he killed Regina in the process, he knew she would be upset. Not because she cared for Regina – but because Regina was one of Henrys mothers.

"Let her go." She said softly causing Gold to finally let go of her. Regina dropped to the ground in a huff, livid with them all.

"We're all dead!" She told them. "-And it's your entire fault." Regina stood up weakly and looked to Penny. She lunged forward to where Penny stood. Just as the ship appeared in sight. Regina shoved Penelope down on the ground; the young girl smacked her head against the dock. Before Gold could react, Regina flicked her wrist and Penelope went flying into the ocean.

"No!" Everyone but Regina yelled. Gold moved forward to jump in only to feel something holding him back – a cloud of black smoke appeared around him and he disappeared along with Regina.

David dove in to the water, leaving Mary-Margret and Emma calling out for him. "-David!" They screamed.

"Penny!" Henry shouted. Jefferson then jumped in to the water next, wanting to help David find Penny. He dove under, swimming, the salt water stinging his eyes. He dove deeper and deeper until he saw Penny's body floating under the water, blood from her head wound clouding the water. But before he could get to her, someone else grabbed her. He couldn't see very well, but he knew it wasn't David.

_Hook. _

He felt a hand grab his arm, pulling him up from the water, when he turned, he saw David dragging him to the shore. Had he been drowning? Perhaps he had been so focused on Penny being rescued that he forget he couldn't breathe, forgot that his lung ached and burned to a point where he lost sight of where he was. He gasped for air once they were at the surface, taking in a deep shallow breath. He tried to focus his eyes, looking for Penny as Emma and Mary-Margret helped him out of the water.

When he finally spotted her, she was on the ground with a man hovering over her, pressing his lips to hers and then pushing down on her chest. Suddenly, Penny started coughing and spitting water up. Jefferson sighed in relief. He looked at the man and saw that it was in fact Hook.

Penny's eyes opened and looked into crystal blue eyes. "Hello, my love." A voice brought tears to her eyes. She had died, she had died and gone to the heavens, that was the only way this was possible. A hand moved to her face, wiping away tears that fell from her eyes.

"Killian," She cried as she looked to him, her hand finding his. "Am I dead?"

Killian chuckled and shook his head. "No, my love." He told her. "You think I'd let you die?"

She smiled. "Then prove it." She told him.

Killian smiled wide and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. She felt like her entire body would erupt. This was real, this wasn't a dream, and this wasn't a hallucination. This was Killian and Killian was here. She began to cry as she kissed him back, over and over again as she said his name. _My Killian! _She cried. She felt his tears on her face as well. They had done it. They had finally gotten back to each other. After three hundred years of thinking the other was dead – they were reunited at once.

And they would never leave the others side ever again.

* * *

**AN:** This was a long one but yay! Penny and Killian are reunited. This story isn't over, I think I'll write a few more chapters but I couldn't wait any longer to reunite these two because I love them! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter though! Reviews are always nice ;)


	5. Chapter 5

When she stood, it was like she was in a dream. Killian was standing before her. She could touch him, feel him. He was real. She moved into his arms – wrapping her arms around his shoulders and holding him so tight she thought she might crush him. Her eyes closed, her fingers running through his hair. She could feel everything. It was all real and she couldn't help but laugh. She felt Killians body move, chuckling with her. She spent over three hundred years thinking he was dead and now she was finally holding him in her arms.

Killian pulled away, placing his good hand on her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb. Penny's eyes shined bright as her connected with his. She never thought she'd look in to those eyes again. She couldn't help herself; she moved forward and pressed her lips to his, opening her mouth for him.

"Um," Mary-Margret said quietly, speaking to David, Emma, Henry, Belle, and Jefferson. "Perhaps we should give them some time alone." She suggested. She remembered that when she and Charming were reunited there were seven dwarves watching them. "Come," She told them, all walking away from the two lovers.

Killian and Penny didn't speak when they came up for air; they simply smiled at the other. "I have waited very long for this." Killian finally spoke. His hand moved to the back of her head, gently tugging on her hair and exposing her neck. She laughed when he kissed her skin then began to nip at it.

"Killian," she moaned when she felt his tongue slide along her skin. "Now is not the time." She managed to get out. She felt his lips curve into a smirk against her skin and knew that he wasn't going to give up that easily. "There are things that need to be taken care of." Penny said, moving away from his lips. Killian groaned.

"What things," He asked her in a low voice, stepping even closer to her. "-Could be more important than bedding my wife?" He kissed her nose. "My wife, whom I thought was dead for three hundred years – my wife who was then trapped in another world for twenty eight years."

She blushed, smiling wide. He called her his wife. It had been over three hundred years since they got married but they never got around to calling each other _husband and wife. _It all felt brand new. "I love you." She told him causing Killian to smile.

"And I love you."

* * *

"Just how much time are we going to give them?" Emma asked in annoyance as they all waited in the car. Everyone was waiting for this Captain Hook and Penelope to be done _reuniting. _Henry kept asking questions that none of them knew the answer to. _Where did my mom and Rumpelstiltskin go? _He would ask as they waited in the car.

Emma had told Jefferson to take Belle away, hide her until it was safe for her to come out. Rumpelstiltskin loved this woman, so she was in danger. Anyone who wanted to hurt Gold would try and take Belle. That wasn't going to happen on Emma's watch.

"They've spent a long time thinking the other was dead, Emma." Mary-Margret told her daughter. "We will give them as much time as possible."

"-what are they even doing?" Henry spoke up causing the car to grow silent. No one wanted to explain to a ten year old what Penny was doing with this Captain Hook.

"So tell me about _Cora_." Emma said, changing the subject as she looked to her mother.

Mary-Margret shook her head. "She's a horrid woman." She told Emma. "Worse than Regina – worse than Rumpelstiltskin."

"And now she's in Storybrooke." Emma sighed. "What do you think she wants?"

"What she always wants," Mary-Margret looked at Emma. "Power."

* * *

"There's someone I traveled with." Killian said as they walked up to his ship. _Their _ship. It had been their home together. Penny was glad that nothing had happened to it. "Her name is Cora. She's Regina's mother."

"I know." She told him. He raised his brow. "That's why Regina and my father tried to stop you from coming. They fear her."

Killian chuckled. "With reason." He told her. "She's not the friendliest person I've had to work with." He confessed.

"Well that's just unkind, Hook." A woman appeared once they set foot on the ship, having heard the entire conversation between the two lovers. "I believe I'm quite friendly."

Killian rolled his eyes.

"And this must be _Penelope._"

"-Penny." Killian corrected Cora.

Cora knew about Penelope for quite some time because of her relationship with Rumpelstiltskin. She had never met her, nor had she seen her – but she knew of her. "Forgive me," Cora said. "_Penny, _I forgot you changed your name."

Penny's eyes narrowed on Cora. She didn't like her. "And you're the witch everyone wants dead."

"Wants dead, _hoped was dead_," She laughed. "But I am very alive as you can see." Cora told Penny. "And I am in need of your help."

"With what?" Penny replied.

Cora moved forward, only to have Killian move as well, blocking her from getting too close to Penny. Cora rolled her eyes. "Your father."

Penny raised her brow. "What about him?"

"I'm sure you have a lot of anger for him." Cora spoke, looking past Hook to Penny. "He did keep you locked away, making you relive a false vision of _this one_s death." She looked to Killian. "I already have his word that he'll help me destroy your father. Now I need yours."

Penny swallowed. She had told her father that she'd forgive everything he's done to her if he would help bring Killian back to her. But he didn't follow through – so should she? Yes, he stopped Regina from closing the portal but he left with her to close it. Had he planned it that way? Did he know that they'd arrive at that very moment to stop Regina? He couldn't have. He went back on his word – so she'd go back on hers.

"You have my word." Penny said with a dark smile causing Cora to smirk.

"Good."

* * *

"I just got a text from Penelope," David said as he looked down at his phone. "She told us to go on without her – to keep looking for Regina and Gold."

Emma took the phone from her father and looked at the screen. "So we do that hard work while she goes off and has a quickie with Captain Hook?" Emma said, amused.

"Graham and Penny used to have quickies at breakfast." Henry said from the backseat causing the car to once again grow silent.

"Maybe we watch what we say in front of the K-I-D." David suggested only to have Henry glare at him.

"I'm ten years old, I know how to spell."

"We have bigger things to discuss then this." Emma interrupted the two. "Like how the hell are we supposed to track Regina and Gold with no magic?"

"There's only so many places Regina can hide." Mary-Margret told Emma. "We check out a few places we think she'd go and if worse comes to worse we can call Penelope empty handed and ask for some magical assistance."

"But Penny doesn't know how to track people." Henry said from the backseat.

"Well, she's going to need to learn." Emma said before starting the car and driving off.

* * *

Emma had called Penny, asking for her help finding Gold and Regina. But Penny had ignored the call; instead she basked in the feeling of being in Killians arms again. They had sat and talked, him telling her how he spent three hundred years without her, how he had lost his hand, why he chose to work with Cora. When he asked her to tell him how she spent her three hundred years she simply kisses him and said; _uneventful. _She didn't need to fuel the anger he had towards her father.

Killian had thrown her phone across the room when it rang again while they were getting intimate causing Penny to playfully swat at him. _That could have been Henry. _She told Killian.

_Has another man stolen your heart, my wife?_

_Yes, a ten year old. _She teased causing him to laugh.

_I might have to challenge him to a duel. _He went on, kissing her neck. Penny laughed and wrapped her arms around him, hugging her bare chest to his. _I missed you so much. _He told Penny, moving his lips to her chin.

But this time Penny couldn't ignore the sound of her phone going off as Killian slept at her side, his arms wrapped around her waist. So she carefully got up, moving out of Killians and towards where her phone was. She didn't want to wake him so she pulled on his black tunic once she grabbed the phone and left the room.

"-Penelope!" Emma said on the other line. "I've been trying like crazy to get a hold of you."

"I'm sorry." Penny apologized. "What do you need?"

"We need your help locating Regina and your father. And a little information on why Cora is here."

Penny walked forward, hoping that Cora wasn't somehow listening.

"Give me till the morning."

"-Penny,"

"Emma, I haven't been with my husband in over three hundred years. Give me till morning, _please_!" She near shouted. She could hear Emma sigh on the other line. "I promise I will help you in the morning, just give me the night to be with him."

"Ok." Emma agreed. "But I'm calling you in the morning."

"Ok." Penny chuckled.

Killian subconsciously leaned forward and place a kiss on his wife face in the middle of the night only to feel that she was no longer by his side.

"Penny!" He rushed out as he sat up in the bed he had shared with her, his hand running along the bed where she had just been. "Penny!" Had this all been a dream?

"I'm right here." Penny said, walking back in to the room. She had only been gone a moment to take the phone call.

Killian got up quickly, moving forward and pulling her in to his arms. "You can't do that!" He breathed out, holding her to his body. "You can't disappear like that." She sighed. Penny understood. If she had woken and Killian wasn't there, she'd freak out as well thinking the worst had happened. "-I spent over three hundred years without you, thinking you were dead and then knowing that you were trapped in a different world. I was without you – Penny, you can't do that. You can't leave me again."

"I'm sorry." Penny whispered, rubbing his back as she held onto him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left." She pressed her lips to his skin, kissing his chest lightly, still pressed against him. Killian tried to calm him, tried to relax but his heart pounded in his chest. Penny could feel it. "I'm here." She continued to say. "I'm here."

Killian closed his eyes, breathed in her scent and felt himself calm down. His head lowered and he buried his face in her hair. "I love you so much." He said desperately.

Penny smiled, moving her hand to his head and running her fingers through his hair. "I love you too, Killian." She told him. "I'm here – and I'm not going anywhere. I promise." She swore to him. She moved her hands to his face, forcing him to look her in the eyes. His eyes relaxed when he looked in to hers. "Come," she told him, leading him to the bed. "You need to sleep."

"Just ... don't leave my side, OK?"

Penny smiled and kissed him. . "I won't leave your side." She swore. "Never again."

* * *

**AN****:** So this was a really short chapter because I just tried to make it about Killian and Penny being reunited and have all the other stuff happen away from it for a while. Plus I wanted to show that losing Penny really affected Killian in a way I haven't showed you guys before. It's short – but I hope you guys liked it. I'm thinking once this story is done I'm going to continue The Dark Ones Daughter stories but just have one-shots of Killian and Pennys life. Should I?


	6. Chapter 6

"Are we really going to work with Cora?" Penny asked Killian as they walked down the dock, heading to the street. His eyes still scanned every area of the place, thinking something might jump out and attack. He was ready for combat. He had insisted that Penny bring her sword with her incase trouble broke out. She told him that he didn't need to worry – that she'd be fine. But he insisted. So her old sword was hanging against her hip.

"She knows how to kill your father." Killian answered, not looking at Penny but continued to look around. "-What in the world is that?" He asked, pointing in the direction of a parking lot. Penny couldn't help but smile.

"It's a tow truck." She informed him. "When someone has car troubles it picks you up and takes your car to the shop."

"And a car, I take it;" He pointed to a station wagon next to the so called tow truck, "is that?"

Penny nodded her head. "It's like a carriage but faster." She explained. "A lot faster."

"And how does one ride a car?" He asked. Penny smiled. Killian was so curious about this world. And she knew he'd never ask anyone else these kinds of questions – too proud to admit when he didn't know what something was. But with her he never pretended.

Just as Penny was about to explain to him about how you _drive _a car, a small voice pulled her back to the world in front of her. Henry called out for her, "Penny!" He hollered, waving them over to Gold's shop.

"I'll explain another time." She promised Killian about the cars, giving him a quick kiss before pulling his good hand forward and towards where Henry, Emma, David, and Mary-Margret were waiting for them. The whole Charming family.

"We need you to perform a locator spell." Emma said once they were all standing in front of the store.

"Ok." She agreed.

Penny hadn't told Killian much about her magic. Only that Jefferson had helped her discover that she had some. She showed him some of what she could do; not doing too much that it might spook him. She couldn't help but think of her father whenever she had to do magic. Did her magic make her like him now? Was she just like him because she could move things with her mind?

"Do you have a key to this place?" David asked Penny.

Penny shook her head but grabbed her sword from her hip, turning it around and hitting through the doors window with the hilt of the handle. Killian grinned. "There's my Pirate Queen." Penny smiled at him, giving him a little wink before opening the door of the shop. "What are we looking for?" Killian asked to no one in particular.

"Something of Penelope's fathers. Something he cherishes." Mary-Margret spoke up. "Belle said we need to be looking for a tea cup. It's chipped."

"A chipped cup?" Killian raised his brow. "Strange thing to cherish." He mumbled under his breath, thinking that the only thing Rumpelstiltskin should have cherished was Penny. But he hadn't. Instead, he cherished a chipped cup. He wanted to start breaking things all over the store.

"-In here!" Henry said from the back of the store causing Penny and Killian to follow the lead of Mary-Margret and David – Emma already being with Henry in the back. "I think we found it!" He said in excitement.

Mary-Margret, David and Emma moved out of the way for Penelope to examine the cup. She looked at the cup for a long moment. "-Did you do it?" Emma asked. "Did you cast the spell?"

Penny shook her head. "I don't know how to cast spells." She told them. "Jefferson and I never worked on that." She became all too aware that everyone's eyes were on her. "The only things we've practiced were my light and channeling my emotions for my powers." She felt useless. And if she and Killian went back to the ship with nothing – Cora wouldn't be too pleased. "Maybe if Jefferson were here to talk me through it," she suggested but Mary-Margret shook her head.

"He's in hiding with Belle." She reminded Penelope. "We can't risk anyone finding them until Gold is here to protect Belle."

Penny set down the cup. "I don't know how to do it – I'm sorry."

"Penelope," Emma stopped her friend from walking away. "How were you able to break the curse?"

"I didn't break the curse, you did."

"Only with your help." Emma reminded her. "You _showed _me your life – my life, I was able to see Mary-Margret and David's life from the Enchanted Forest. You made me believe. How were you able to do that?"

"…I don't know," she sighed. "I just wanted you to believe and … I concentrated on making you remember and then it happened I don't know how I was able to do that. I was desperate."

"Ok, desperation. That's an emotion." Emma told Penelope, taking her hand in her own. "Aren't you desperate to save your father?"

_No. _

But she was desperate to find him.

Emma picked up the cup and put it back in Penelope's hand. "Use your emotions."

Penny looked away from Emma and then to Killian. He nodded to her, giving her a look of reassurance. "You can do it, Pen." He told her. Penny took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Killian watched as the chipped cup began to glow. He was taken back when Penny had first told him she had magic, wondering if her father had taught her it while she was locked away. But Penny assured him that she got the magic from her mother's side.

Penny's eyes opened. "I know where they are."

* * *

"And you're sure they're here?" Emma asked as they walked through the forest. "I mean, I do not doubt you – but _the woods. _That can be anywhere. It can even be outside of town. You're sure they're going to be _here._"

"I'm positive." Penny answered back, looking behind her for a moment to see David, Mary-Margret, Emma and Henry following her and Killian.

"Hey, uh – Captain Hook." Henry spoke up causing the Pirate to look over his shoulder.

"Call me Hook, lad."

Henry smiled. "Ok, Hook. How are you alive?"

Killian chuckled. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, we know Penny is alive after three hundred years because her father cast a spell on her to keep her young forever –but how are you still the same age?"

Killian looked to Penny before answering the boy. She smiled at him lovingly. "Well," He decided to answer him. "I spent a few hundred years in Neverland."

"Did you ever meet Peter Pan?" Henry questioned.

"Yes." He answered. "He was a little prat." Penny eyed Killian causing him to laugh.

"I always liked Rufio." Emma commented, thinking about the movie _Hook _with Robin Williams.

"Well, you wouldn't like what I did to him then, lass." Hook chuckled darkly causing Penny to swat at him.

"-Ok, no more ruining childhood memories." She told him causing him to smirk. She stopped suddenly. "-There," she pointed to the small cabin in the middle of the forest. "That's where he is."

"Ok, let's go." David said as he pulled out his sword. Emma held up her gun and followed Penelope's lead.

"-Wait!" Killian grabbed Penny, stopping her from walking to the front door. He picked up a rock and threw it towards the house only to have it stop midair, stopped by a force field.

"How do we get in?" She asked Killian.

"-You don't." Gold said as he walked out of the cabin with Regina following behind him.

"Rumpelstiltskin," Hook called out as he eyed the man with the cane. "You look as cowardly as ever." He mocked.

"And Hook," Gold replied. "I see you're still missing a hand."

Hook glared at him, only to have Penny step in front of him, walking closer to the invisible wall. "You wasted your time coming here, Penelope." Gold said as he watched his daughter touch the force field only to have it shock her a little. "Best not to touch it."

Penny glared at her father. "So what? You're hiding now?"

"I'm not hiding – you can clearly see me standing before you. I'm simply here for … _protection._" He said carefully, watching as Regina stood next to him. "As is Regina. We'll be staying here until Cora is gone."

"Cowering out of a fight, yet again." Hook spat out in disgust.

Gold rolled his eyes, flicking his wrist and sending Hook flying into the nearest tree. But before he could hit the tree, Penny yelled, stopping him midair when she screamed; _STOP. _Killian fell down on the ground, a loud thump as he hit the dirt instead of the cracking of bones if he had crashed into a tree.

Penny was more powerful than she was letting on.

Penny ran over to where Killian was laying on the ground. "-I thought you wanted my forgiveness, father!" She shouted in anger, helping him up. "Hurting Killian is not helping your cause."

"Yes, but it makes me feel much better."

Killing her father would make Penny feel better.

"-We can't help you if you stay in there." Emma spoke up, causing Regina and Gold to look in her direction. "And we can't defeat Cora on our own either. We need your help. We need to work together." She reminded them all.

"-She's right." David spoke up. "We need to put our differences aside to keep this town safe."

All Penny wanted was out of this town. That's all she ever wanted. She wanted to go back home where she could live out her life sailing the seas with Killian. Cora had promised her that if she helped destroy her father.

But then she thought of Belle.

Without her father, Belle would be alone again.

And then she thought of Henry. She didn't want to imagine the look on his face when he found out she was working with Cora. Penny looked to Killian. She couldn't go through with working with Cora. _"I'm sorry." _She mouthed.

"I made a deal with Cora." Penny spoke up causing Killians eyes to go wide.

"-Penny!" He tried to grab after her as she walked up to the force field. But she continued on.

"I told her I'd help her destroy you." she told Gold. And the look on his face didn't mirror surprise or shock. It almost looked like he was accepting his fate.

"-For what?"

"Passage back to our world." She confessed. "She wants you dead and I promised to help."

Gold was silent for a moment, taking it all in. "Why are you telling me this?" He asked, hoping it was because she cared about him and wanting to keep him safe. But he knew that was asking for a lot. "To warn me?"

"No," Penny said. "My life would be a lot easier if I helped her kill you. I'd be happier." She saw the sad expression in Gold's eyes upon hearing her words. But it didn't affect her. "I was your prisoner for three hundred years – you made me think Killian was dead, you put visions in my head. You showed me no mercy so why should I show you any?"

There was nothing Gold could say. _Because I'm your Papa. Because I love you. _"I'm a flawed man, Penelope." He said instead. "-I've made many mistakes that I can't take back. If you're

siding with Cora, I understand." The force field went down when Gold closed his eyes and stepped forward. He pulled out his dagger and walked over to Penelope, handing it to her. "My fate is in your hands. Literally."

Penny looked down at the dagger and then back to her father. She paused, not knowing what to do. She knew what she should do. She should kill him. But she could feel Henrys eyes on her. _He's your anchor, _Jefferson's words reminded her. If she did this she'd never be the same again. "-Henry," she called out, surprising everyone. Henry walked forward, standing next to Penny. He looked up at her. "What do I do?" She asked the ten year old.

"-Kill him!" Killian shouted at Penny. She shook her head at Killian, stopping him from saying anything else. She wasn't asking for Killians opinion. She was asking Henry.

"Penelope," Emma started only to have Penny yell at them all.

"Shut up!" She shouted. Penny then looked back down at Henry. "What do I do?" She asked him. "You know my story better than anyone. You've read it so many times … what do I do?"

Henry looked to Mr. Gold and then to Penny.

"Everyone says that Cora is worse than my mom and Mr. Gold combined." Henry told Penny, looking back at Regina for only a moment. "-And if you work with her…you'll be one of the bad guys, Penny. And you're not a bad guy. No matter how much you hate your father – you're not a bad guy. So help us. Work with us." Henry told her. "Cora is a danger to this town, to us all. You've made friends here and they're all in danger now that Cora is here."

"-He's right." Regina spoke up for the first time. "I can't promise you passage back home." She told Penelope. "But I can promise to keep the town safe. Your friends, your family. And I can help you and your father get something you both want." Regina stepped forward, placing her hand on Henrys shoulder.

"And what's that?" Penny replied.

"I know where Baelfire is." She said causing Penny's eyes to grow wide. "And if you help stop my mother … I'll help you find your brother."

Penny took in a deep breath at the revelation that Regina knew where her younger brother was. She then looked to Killian to see him shaking his head at her. "No." He told her. "I won't agree to this." Killian said defiantly.

Penny sighed and walked up to him, grabbing his hand in hers. "You will." She told him; bringing his hand to her mouth, giving it a soft kiss. "You will because you love me. And because I love you. Because you have a chance to do the right thing." Her eyes began to fill with tears. "And because this is the hardest decision I've ever had to make and I need you to be by my side for it." She sniffled. Killians eyes softened upon seeing her cry and moved forward, wrapping his arms around her to show her comfort.

"I'll bring him here." Regina promised Penny. "As long as you work with your father and me."

Killian pressed his lips to Penny's head, letting her know that he would be on her side. No matter which side she chose.

"I'll work with you both." Penny finally spoke up, still in Killians arms, not looking to Regina or her father. "For Bae."


	7. Chapter 7

"We should split up." Emma suggested as she looked to the group. "Gold, you come with Henry, me and Penelope." She told Rumpelstiltskin. "Regina, you're with Mary-Margret, David, and Hook."

"No," Hook disagreed.

"-Are you kidding me?" Regina spat out. "I'm stuck with the two idiots and a double crossing pirate!"

Hook ignored the Queens comment and continued to shake his head. "I'm with Penny." He told them all.

"Killian," Penny said softly.

"No, Pen." He told her, defiant. "I'm not letting you out of my sight. And I'm certainly not letting you wander off to fight Cora with _him_." He sneered in the direction of Rumpelstiltskin.

Penny sighed. She understood. She didn't want to be split up with him either. Since they were reunited, Killian hadn't kept his eyes off of Penny for more than a second. There was no way he was going to agree with splitting up. "Ok," Penny spoke up. "We split up. But someone always needs to be with someone who has magic. Killian and I will be with Henry and search the docks. Emma and Regina will search the wooded areas, and Gold and the Charmings will look around town. That way everyone has a magical advantage."

"You really think I'm going to let my son go off with you?" Regina retorted back with a laugh. ""Like hell that's happening."

Penny rolled her eyes. "Regina, what was the song that Henry wouldn't go to sleep without hearing when he was a baby? Can you name that for me?" Regina glared, not knowing the answer. But Penny did. "Exactly, you don't know. Because you hardly know Henry. _I _was the one to help raise him – I was around him more than you have _ever _been. So you're really going to doubt me now?" She asked. "He's safe with me."

Regina was silent, still glaring at Penelope. But Penny stood her ground.

"-I want to go with Penny." Henry spoke up causing everyone's eyes to land on him.

"Are you sure, Henry?" Regina said, speaking up. Henry nodded his head.

"I trust Penny." He told them.

"Fine." Regina agreed, though she didn't want to.

"Alright, let's go." Penny told them all. The group all split up.

* * *

"So, how long have you been a pirate?" Henry asked as they walked along the woods, heading to the docks. "I mean – were you always a pirate? Did you grow up as a pirate?"

"You ask a lot of questions." Hook said, following Penny and Henry.

Penny smiled. "He's always been a curious boy." Penny told Killian.

"Aye."

"Aye," Henry copied him. "That's pirate talk for _yes, _right?"

Killian looked to Penny and chuckled. "Ok, how about we don't ask _Captain Hook _anymore questions." Penny said to Henry with a smile. "Instead, let's work up a plan. How are we going to defeat Cora?" She asked.

"With magic. That's the only way, I suppose." Henry answered. "What should we call this mission? We already used Operation Cobra to break the curse."

"Operation Cobra?" Killian raised his brow as he looked to Penny.

"Yes, my love." She smiled at him. "Operation Cobra. A very dangerous mission that Henry and I defeated." She joked.

Something in Killians eyes changed, he looked scared as he looked to Penny. He looked to see Henry still walking forward, almost out of the woods and to the docks.

"Give us a moment, lad." Killian said as he pulled Penny away from the young boy, he watched as Henry gave him a look but eventually turned and started walking forward.

"Killian, what's wrong?" She asked only to have him push her up against the tree. His mouth found hers, stopping her from saying anything further. She kissed him back, though not understanding the sudden affection Killian decided to show her with Henry only a few feet away. He bit at her bottom lip gently causing her to smile, her mouth opened for him. She should have been used to it by now; Killian not caring who was around when he wanted to be with her. But Henry was only ten years old. "-Killian," she moaned in his mouth causing him to groan. He pulled away slowly, his lips still touching hers for a few moments. She looked up at him, his eyes closed as he pressed his forehead to hers. "What's going on?"

He sighed. "We have a chance to go home, Penny." He reminded her, his eyes opening and looking in to hers. "If we work with Cora we can leave this world and never look back – we can go back to sailing the seas where no one can touch us."

She frowned, looking in to his eyes. "It's my brother, Killian. Look me in the eyes and tell me you wouldn't do anything if you had a chance at seeing your brother again."

Liam was always in the back of Killians mind. Penny knew that. "And if this is some kind of trap?" He asked her, his good hand moved to her face, caressing it. "I can't lose you again."

Penny moved forward and pressed her lips to Killians, a soft and gentle kiss. When their lips broke, she wrapped her arms around him. "You won't." She promised.

"You sound so sure of it." Killian said, amused by her words. He smirked down at her causing her to grin up at him. "OK." He agreed, kissing her one last time.

"-Penny, c'mon!" Henry complained from where he stood at the clearing. "Let's go!"

Penny chuckled at his impatience. Penny moved her hand down next to Killians, grabbing his good hand in her own and looping their fingers together. She needed to always feel him. Make sure that he was real. Under different circumstances she probably wouldn't leave his bed for a month but with the town in danger, the little touches had to do.

"We're coming!" Penny said as she and Killian walked out from behind the tree and headed to where Henry was. She knew why Killian was nervous. This was a dangerous thing to do but she had faith that everything would work out in their favor.

They'd find another way home and until then they could start a life in Storybrooke. They could even live on the Jolly Roger. She'd move out of her small apartment, leaving behind all the memories and start her life over in Storybrooke with Killian. Everyone in this town had a chance to start over. _Yes, _she wanted to go home. But she wouldn't mind starting her life over in Storybrooke. A life with Killian.

* * *

Gold walked around town with Snow White and Prince Charming. He hadn't been alone with them this long since they had trapped him in their dungeons with the help with Cinderella. But instead of concentrating on what they were saying or trying to come up with a plan on how to kill Cora, all he could think of was his daughter. His daughter with that damned pirate. _I should have killed him, _he thought once again. That thought had been going through his head since Killian Jones had entered their world. _I should have killed him._

But if Gold killed him now – who knows that Penelope would do to him. It wasn't that she would stop talking to him, never forgive him – he truly believed that if he killed Killian Jones, his daughter would find a way to kill him.

"I never knew you had a son." Charming spoke up, breaking Gold away from his thoughts. "Then again I hadn't known you had a daughter you kept locked away in a tower."

"Yes, well we aren't exactly friends, Charming. I don't feel the need to tell you my life story."

"So why did you keep her locked away?" Snow asked.

Gold ignored them both. "Perhaps we discuss a more pressing issue, yes? Snow White, you remember Cora."

Snow grimaced. "Yes."

"You know how horrible she is. Perhaps you and your husband would like to know just how far back Cora and my history go?"

"Let me guess, you double crossed her." Charming answered.

"She double crossed me first." Gold chuckled. "Promised me her first born child would be mine."

"Wait," Snow stopped them from walking. "-Promised you her first born child would be _yours. _Like, you'd take the baby or you'd be the baby's father?"

"I would be her father."

Snows eyes widened. "Are you saying that you're Regina's father?"

Gold shook his head. "No, as I said; she double crossed me." He told them. "She became pregnant with her husband's child, not mine, ripped out her own heart and left me."

"She ripped out her own heart? Why?"

Gold shrugged. "She said it was her weakness."

"Perhaps that's why she was so cold towards Regina." Snow wondered out loud. Gold nodded. "If she doesn't have a heart … how are you supposed to stop her?"

Snow figured that Regina or Gold would simply crush Cora's heart. But with no heart – how were they going to be able to stop her?

"I don't know yet, dear."

* * *

"So what did you do to your mother to piss her off?" Emma asked Regina as they walked around the streets of the wooded area.

Regina groaned. "Let's not do this." She said causing Emma to quirk her brow. "_Talk._"

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm just curious as to why she's here."

"She's here for me. That's all you need to know."

"OK." Emma said, but she wasn't going to stop talking. It was the only thing keeping her mind off that fact that her son was off with Captain Hook. "-You said Hook was a double crossing pirate."

Regina laughed. "All pirates are double crossing. Even little miss Penelope."

"Penelope isn't a pirate." Emma replied which only made Regina laugh further.

"Penelope was the Pirate _Queen, _Miss Swan. Do you think she simply sat under deck, oblivious to what was going on around her? She may look like little miss innocence but Penelope is far from that. She stole, took things that didn't belong to her – ran away to become a pirate."

"How do you know all of this?" Emma asked Regina.

"Her father."

"And you trust him?"

"Over a pirate, yes."

"OK, than why would you let Henry anywhere near Penelope?" She asked Regina. "If she so untrustworthy – why let her help raise our son?"

Regina didn't have an answer for that. She honestly didn't know why she chose Penelope out of everyone to help raise Henry. But Henry had grown up well enough and she owed a lot of that to Penelope. "I don't know why." Regina said. "Perhaps it was because of my time spent with Penelope while her father was locked away in your parent's dungeon."

"You were with her during that?"

"Of course I was. Rumpelstiltskin wasn't going to let his daughter die up there while he was still alive to torture her. So I took her in to my castle."

"I'm sure you locked her away in some tower as well." Emma said with a glare.

"Quite opposite, in fact I gave her a room in my castle, a whole wing. She didn't appreciate it. Always tried to escape. Quite a little fighter." She chuckled. "I assigned her a guard to keep her safe and she again, did not appreciate it."

"Well I wouldn't appreciate being someone's prisoner either. Even with a guard to harass me." Emma replied, disgusted with Regina.

Regina smirked. "The guard was The Huntsman. Or perhaps you remember him more as _Graham._"

* * *

"Do you think she'll be here?" Henry asked as they walked up the ship. Henry was nervous, but excited to finally be on a pirate ship.

"Who? Me?" A voice said from the upper deck. Henry looked up to see a woman standing a few feet away from them.

"Cora." Hook said as he stepped in front of Penny and Henry. "My wife and I have been looking for you."

"Yes, well I've been busy." Cora replied. "Oh, and I see you brought me a present. Who is the little boy?"

"Henry Miller." Penny spoke up. "Regina's son."

"My daughter has a son, well – isn't that nice." She sneered. "As much as I appreciate the present, I'm going to have to ask you _why _he's here."

"Figured you could use him as leverage." Hook said causing Henrys eyes to widen. Penny remained calm, knowing what he was doing. "You want your daughter – what a better way to get her attention then to dangle her son in front of her?"

Cora smirked. "Well that's positively evil, Hook. I've taught you well."

"Penny," Henry said in a worried voice. She wouldn't truly let Cora take him, would she? No. Penny was his friend – his best friend. She wouldn't do that to him.

"-Hush," Penny told Henry and then walked up to Cora. "Tell us how you plan to take us home." She spoke to Cora.

Cora smirked. "With this of course." She held up a small bean. "There were two up that bean stalk, Hook." She looked to the pirate. "You didn't think I'd come here without a way home, did you?"

"Of course not, Cora. Why would I ever doubt you?" Hook smirked.

"_Penny,_" Henry said again, this time more urgent. Was she betraying everyone?

"Give us the bean and we'll give you Henry." Penny told Cora causing the woman to laugh. "I'm sorry; I don't remember saying anything funny."

"Give me the boy and I'll give you the bean." Penny began to anger. The clouds became darker. "Oh!" Cora clapped her hands. "I didn't know you had magic."

"Give us the bean." Penny said, her voice steady. Killian looked from between Penny and Cora. Instead of moving in the middle, shielding Penny from Cora, he pulled Henry aside and lowered himself down so their eyes looked.

"Go under deck. Hide."

"But Penny,"

"-Go!" Hook yelled at him. Henry nodded and hurried down the deck of the ship, looking to Penny one last time. He shouldn't have doubted her. He should have known she would protect him. She was always protecting him.

"The questions now is," Cora moved back. "-Just how powerful are you, Daughter of the Dark One?"

"Pretty damn powerful." Penny said as lightening struck, thunder roared in the sky. The waves were crashing against the boat as the wind picked up. She raised her hand, Cora's eyes were unreadable.

"Try your best." Cora now smirked. This would be a fight to the death.

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Gold asked, looking up at the sky. It was dark now; it had been a beautiful day moments earlier. Something was happening. _Thunder. _"We need to get to the docks!" He told Charming and Snow.

"-What? Why?" They asked.

"We need to get to my daughter."

He didn't have time to run, he needed to get to the docks now. Before Charming and Snow Whites eyes, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

David and Mary-Margret looked to the other and then began to run through the town and towards the docks. Rumpelstiltskin may have magic to teleport him to the docks – they did not.

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Regina asked as she looked around. It began to rain, pour down on them. "Something's happening!" She yelled over the wind.

Emma pulled out her phone, dialing Mary-Margret's number. She could barely hear her mother over the thunder. "-What's going on?" She yelled, covering her free ear with her hand so she could hear her better.

"-_Gold left. He said the storm was Penelope. We're headed to the docks now." _Mary-Margret told Emma before hanging up after telling her daughter to be careful.

"We need to get to the docks!" Emma yelled to Regina.

Regina looked to Emma and held out her hand. "-Hold on." She told her before grabbing her hand and both of them disappeared in a purple smoke.

* * *

It was the first time Penny had used her light without it being a panic response. She was using full power and could feel herself feeling faint. That was when her father showed up in front of her, stopping her from using any more power. Instead, he took a swing at Cora with his cane, sending her flying backwards. Penny fell backwards in to Killians arms, he stopped her from hitting the ground.

"-Where's Henry?!" Two new voices came from behind Killian and Penny.

It was Emma and Regina.

"-Lower deck, go get him!" She managed to yell.

"_Penny,_" Killian said, helping her stand. He was trying to get her to move forward, to stand on her own. But Penny's eyes were growing heavy. Using that much power was kicking her ass. "Penny, stand up!" He told her.

She heard a scream, heard what sounded like a knife ripping through flesh. _No! _She saw it was Cora, falling off the ship but the yell had come from Killian. He kept yelling _No, _over and over again.

She didn't understand why.

What was happening?

Everything grew dark.

Penny opened her eyes to see someone looking down at her in an unfamiliar room; she blinked a few times before the face became clearer. "Hey," The familiar voice said softly. She gasped.

"-Graham?" She whispered in disbelief. "How are you – you died! How are you here?"

He nodded with a sad frown. "I did." He told her. "I died."

She looked around the room. It was unfamiliar to her. "Then how are you here?"

He sighed and helped Penny up from off the floor, taking her hand in his and pulling her up. She could feel him, feel his skin. This was real. "I'm here because you need me." He told her.

She didn't understand. She looked around the room once more. "Where am I?" She asked, finally realizing that it wasn't Graham who returned to her, that she was somehow where he was. "What happened?"

"You're in a world between life and death." He explained. "Some might call it a purgatory."

Penny remembered now. She had used all the power she had to defeat Cora. "Am I dead?" She wondered out loud. That had to be it – it was the only thing that made sense.

"No," Graham shook his head. "But you are dying." He looked down at her; she looked up at him helplessly. Graham sighed in sadness. He never wanted her to have to see this place. A place where he was trapped.

"How do I get back?"

"I wish I knew that answer, Penelope." He told her.

She shook her head. "I promised him that it'd be OK, I promised him he wouldn't lose me again." She thought of Killian. "I can't do that to him again, I need to get back, Graham." She shook her head violently. She and Killian had finally been reunited and now she was dying. Dying and she couldn't even be with him.

Graham moved forward and pulled her in to his arms, trying to show her some sort of comfort. Though it killed him. "I'm sorry."

"-There has to be something," She cried in his arms. "There has to be a way."

"I'm so sorry, Penelope."

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

But it was.

She was dying.

* * *

**AN:** OK everyone! I hope you liked the update. I wanted to watch the newest episode of OUAT to see Killians back story before I wrote anything new. I hope you guys liked this update! Reviews are always nice!


	8. Chapter 8

He was panicking now. No longer caring to be gentle as he tried to shake her awake. "Open your eyes, Penny!" He demanded. "Open them!" But her eyes remained closed. He refused to let go of her when, what he was told an _ambulance,_ arrived. "Open your eyes, dammit!" He cursed.

Everything had happened so quickly.

Their way home gone in a blink of an eye.

Cora had been reaching for Penny when she was stabbed by Rumpelstiltskin with his dagger. Penny had already passed out by then, worn out from her magic. Cora had tried to pull Penny out of Hooks arms and through the portal with her. But Rumpelstiltskin intervened, shoving Penny and Hook back and away from Cora, the witch latched on to him and they fell overboard, both falling through the portal.

He could have cheered, danced with Penny in victory that he was out of their lives forever. But she wouldn't open her damn eyes.

"_After she helped break the curse, Gold used magic to heal her." Emma explained. She looked to Regina desperately, near begging the Evil Queen to help Penelope. Regina nodded her head and used her magic on Penelope but her eyes still wouldn't open. _

"_Why isn't it working?" David asked. _

"_I don't know." Said Regina, trying again. But nothing worked. _

"-Wake up, Penny! For me! Wake up!" Hook pleaded, still holding on to her hand as they put her in the ambulance.

"-She's still breathing." One of the paramedics said. "We need to get her to Whale, fast!"

Killian hardly had anytime to register what was going on around him when he was lurched forward and the machine he was in began moving at a high speed. "-Where are you taking her?" He spoke, holding on to something to keep him from falling forward or worse, on Penny. "Why are you taking her to a whale?"

The paramedics ignored Hook but the person in the front seat turned and faced him. It was Prince Charming, or as Penny had called him; David. "They're taking her to the hospital. The man they're taking her to isn't a whale, he's a doctor."

Killian understood what a doctor was. He looked down at Penny, strapped to a small bed and leaned forward, whispering in her ear. "I love you, fight for me."

* * *

"What are you doing?" Graham asked as he followed Penelope as she walked around the room. She didn't say anything, she continued to pace. "Penelope,"

"-My names not Penelope!" She snapped at Graham. She didn't mean to snap at him, but she needed to come up with some sort of plan to get out of here – to get back to Killian. She sighed as she looked to Graham, sorry that she had snapped. "My name is Penny." She told him.

He nodded his head. "I always knew you as Penelope." He reminded her. "I guess things have changed since I died."

She turned to look at him, sadness showing in her features. She hadn't allowed herself to mourn Graham and now he was standing before her. She should feel lucky to have another chance to see him again. Penny moved forward and in to his arms once again, hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"It's not your fault." He told her, his arms wrapped around her tight.

"My dying? Or getting you killed?" She asked as she pulled away from him. He went to shake his head but Penny stopped him from saying anything to her. "You died because of me, Graham. We both know it."

He didn't say anything, he simply looked down at her. "If I had to do it all over again," He said softly. "I wouldn't change a thing." When Penny shook her head he stopped her, cupping her cheeks in his hand. "I fell in love with you – not because of your father – but from my own free will. I wanted to get you away because a part of me knew that something wasn't right. I thought we could start off somewhere new … I wanted a life with you."

She stayed silent, taking it all in. After Graham had died she had assumed that his feelings towards her were only there because her father whispered it in to his heart. But he was telling her now that everything he felt was real. And the most horrible part of it all was that she couldn't say it back to him. She couldn't look him in the eyes and tell him that she loved him.

Because she loved Killian.

She would always love Killian.

So she moved forward and rests her head on his chest, hugging him. "I'm sorry." She said again. Graham kissed the top of her head and whispered in her hair; _I've missed you._

* * *

"-Where is she?" Jefferson said urgently as he pushed through the crowd of people in the hospital, all of them waiting to hear word to see how Penelope was doing. "-Where is she?" He shouted, making his way to where he could see David and Mary-Margret. "What happened?" He asked breathlessly.

"We don't know." Mary-Margret told him, placing her hand on his shoulder, stopping him from walking past them.

Hook was in the other room when he spotted the mad hatter talking to Snow White and Prince Charming. He let go of Penelope's hand and marched to where the man was, pushing the Prince away when he tried to stop him from charging at Jefferson. "You knew she was alive!" He roared as he threw a punch at Jefferson, hitting him square in the jaw. "We spent months together and you knew the whole bloody time that she was alive – being kept prisoner. Some friend you are!" He continued to punch Jefferson until his face was bloody.

"Get off him!" Emma yelled, pulling Hook off of Jefferson. Hook watched as Rumpelstiltskins woman, _Belle, _rushed to Jefferson's side, helping him up.

"-Killing him isn't going to help anyone!" Emma yelled at Hook.

"It'll help me!" He seethed, trying to lunge at Jefferson once more only to have more people intervene and stop him.

"-Hey!" Emma yelled. "Hey! You have two options!" She struggled to keep a hold on him. "You can go back in that room and stay with Penelope until she wakes up – or I can throw your ass in jail!" She threatened him. "You chose!"

Hook looked to Jefferson one time before jerking out of Emma and Charmings hold and then headed back to the room Penny was in.

"-Are you alright?" Belle asked Jefferson as he stood up.

"I'm fine." He assured her. "-Don't worry about me." He told her before walking up to David. "What happened?" He asked him.

Emma had been vague on the phone, not telling him anything. She only said that Penny was in the hospital.

"They don't know what's wrong with her. It might be because she used too much magic? We don't know for sure if that's it. She passed out after she broke the curse."

"That's because she was impaled by a tree branch." Jefferson reminded them. "This is something different." It had to be. "Where's Rumple? He woke her up last time with his magic."

David looked past Jefferson where Belle stood behind him. He didn't know what to say.

"-Where is he?" Belle asked, listening in on the conversation.

David sighed. "He fell through the portal with Cora." He finally admitted.

"-What?" Belle's eyes filled with tears. "No!"

David pulled Jefferson aside as Mary-Margret pulled Belle in to a warm embrace. They had all been trying to figure out how they would tell the young woman about Rumpelstiltskin, and this wasn't how they had planned it. There wasn't any time to coddle her though, their focus was on Penelope. "-Cora tried to grab Penelope after Gold had stabbed the woman – but Gold intervened and Cora pulled him down instead. He did it to save Penelope."

Jefferson didn't care where Gold was, he cared about who was going to heal Penny now. "What about Regina? Can she heal Penny?"

David shook his head. "She already tried." He told him. "We've done everything we could possibly think of to wake her up, Whale thinks we should just … _wait. _Wait and see if she pulls out of it on her own."

"Do you think she will?" Jefferson asked.

David sighed. "I have hope that she will pull through this."

* * *

"Have you ever tried to leave this place?" Penny asked Graham as she walked around the room, pressing her hand against the wall to see if anything would budge. There had to be a way out. She looked to Graham who shook his head. "There's got to be a way, a trap door of some sorts or something – we can't just be _trapped _here."

Graham didn't know how to tell Penelope that they weren't trapped here. "Penelope," he said softly. "The only way to leave this place … is to move on."

"Move on how?" She quirked her brow.

"To accept your fate."

Penny shook her head. "No," she told him. "I won't accept that I'm going to die." Penny was defiant as ever. "Not while Killians waiting for me."

Graham moved forward, placing his hand on Penelope's shoulder. "It's not like that." He told her. "When I first arrived here … there was someone here as well." He explained. "They told me that the only way I could move on from this place is to admit why I'm here in the first place."

"Where is there to admit?" Penny asked. "I'm here because I used too much of my magic." She admitted and then looked around the room, waiting for something to happen. She threw her hands up in frustration when nothing happened. "WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT?" She yelled to no one in particular.

Graham couldn't help but chuckle.

"-This is not funny, Graham." Penny said, turning around to face him.

"I'm sorry, you're right – it's not." He sobered up. "I was just the same way, that's all."

"Well if you found the magic way to get out of here then why are you still here?" Penny asked Graham in annoyance. She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, yanking at it. She wanted to leave; she wanted to be with Killian.

"I guess I wasn't ready to admit why I'm here." He told her, a smile on his lips. Penny looked at him for answers causing his smile to disappear. "Some people don't want to admit what brought them to this place."

"How long have you been here?" She asked him.

"Since I died."

Penny looked at him in shock. "Graham, that was months ago." She spoke in confusion. "Why would you stay here if you know how to get out?"

"Maybe I felt like I should be here to help the next person to enter this room." He replied. "Perhaps I felt like I owed someone help after everything I've done."

Penny didn't understand. "Everything you've done?"

Graham sighed. "I was under Regina's control for twenty-eight years until your father took my heart from her – I was under her control in the Enchanted forest … I've done things I'm not proud of."

She frowned, "Graham, you had no control over that." She tried to tell him but Graham simply smiled at her.

"That may be true." He told her. "But a lot of men died at my hand. A lot of good men. And I can't take that back. No matter how hard I try to forget it – that's what got me here. That's why I'm in this room." Something in the room changed and out of the corner of her eye, Penny saw a door no on the wall.

"-Graham," she said softly, scared that if she spoke too loud the door may disappear. He turned and looked in the direction she was pointing.

"Well," He chuckled. "I guess now you see how it works." He told her. He moved forward, touching the door lightly. He then looked back to Penelope. "Your turn." He told her.

Penny shook her head. "Graham – that's your door. You need to go through it so you can move on or … whatever." She didn't know what would happen if Graham went through the door.

"I'll go through my door once yours arrives. I'm not going to leave you here, Penelope."

Penny closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She found a way out and now she was determined to leave. She would do whatever it takes. "I knew I was using too much magic." She confessed, eyes still closed. "A part of me knew that I could get really hurt, like the last time I used too much magic but I was being selfish. I wanted Cora gone because she was a threat to Killian." She opened her eyes, still no door. She took in another deep breath. "I didn't care if I died in the process because every waking hour since Killians been back in my life I've been terrified."

Graham watched the woman he love go on about her true love, and though it pained him – he knew this is what she needed to be able to get back to her life.

"I've been scared of everything. I've been scared that something would happen to him and I'd lose him again and I couldn't handle it. I rather die than be without him again and that scares me because it feels so damn pathetic." She cried. "So damn pathetic that I rather be dead than without him because in all honesty I rather live to be 100 years old with Killian at my side. I don't want to be dead anymore – I want the life I've always dreamed of with Killian. But for three hundred years I've been felt dead because I've been without him and I want to feel alive. I want to be alive with him."

Graham watched as Penelope's door appeared behind her, though the young woman's eyes were still closed tight.

"I used all my magic because deep down inside me I found a way out. I found a way to end my fear. If I died … that would be it. I'd never have to face the fear of losing him again. But that's wrong because now I'm here and I can barely breathe because I'm without him. I want to go home, Graham." She cried. "And Killian is my home."

"Open your eyes, Penelope." Graham instructed her. "And turn around."

She did as she was told and let out a cry when she saw her own door. She turned back around to face Graham. "Thank you." She whispered before running to him and hugging him tightly. "Thank you for loving me."

Graham smiled and kissed the top of her head. "We'll meet again, Penelope." He told her. "In some other life." She nodded, tears falling from her eyes. She didn't want to say goodbye to Graham. "Goodbye, Penelope." He told her before letting go of her. "Go home."

Penny smiled and nodded her head, heading towards her door and opening it up. She closed her eyes before taking a step inside the door and when she opened her eyes, she was in a completely different room.

"-Penny!" A voice said causing her to blink.

She knew that voice.

She loved that voice.

"Oh, my love." Killian said as he picked her up, hugging her tight. Penny felt weak but still wrapped her arms around Killians shoulders. "You came back to me."

"Of course I did." She cleared her throat. "I'd choose you over death any day."

* * *

**3 month later**

"Killian?" Penny said as she walked aboard the Jolly Roger, searching for her husband. "Killian Jones – we are going to be late!"

"The boys 11, do you really think he's going to hold a grudge against you for being late?" Killian asked as he appeared behind Penny, holding a sword in his hands.

"He's my nephew, Killian, and it's his birthday. I will not be late." Killian chuckled and rolled his eyes before moving to where Penny stood, kissing her on the lips. It pleased him to hear Penny call Henry her nephew.

They had found Baelfire in New York only to find out that he now went by Neal, and was in fact Emma's former lover and the father of Henry. It took Baelfire a while to restart his relationship with his sister, but with the help of Emma, Penny and her little brother (who now looked older than her) quickly fell back in to the routine of big sister little brother. Though he now went by _Neal _and would become angered if she called him Bae. She understood. She wasn't particularly fond of the people in the town still calling her Penelope. But hardly anyone did that anymore.

Penny kissed him back and then pulled away before Killian could get too lost in her lips. "We need to leave." She told him. "Now, my love."

Killian smirked and bowed his head lightly, following her lead. "How mad do you think his mother is going to be that we're giving him Neal's old sword?" Killian had grown in to the habit of calling Baelfire Neal as well.

Penny pursed her lips. "Well, she'll be mad at first. But then we'll offer to look after Henry for a weekend so she and my brother can have a romantic weekend without him and she'll forgive us." She chuckled. "And then perhaps Henry will have a little brother or sister?"

Killian laughed. "You're mad, woman."

"I don't want Henry to be lonesome, that's all." She justified her comment. Killian stopped her from moving and stood before her.

"Then perhaps we give him some cousins?"

Penny was shocked to hear him say that. They had never talked about having kids before. But she had always thought about it in the back of her head. "Is this some sort of jest?" She asked him.

"Think about it, Penny. Pirate babies with my eyes and your dimples!" He tried to persuade her. But there was no need to persuade her, she would have kids with him in an instant. "They would conquer this world." She smiled wide at him.

"OK." She told him. Killian picked her up, dropping the sword on the ground and spun her around. She laughed and hid her blushing face in the crook of his neck. He set her down and kissed her hard. Penny wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him back. After a long moment she pulled away and looked him in the eyes. "We'll start right away." Killian smirked down at her. "-only after the party."

Killian groaned which made Penny laugh and then they walked down the dock where Penny's car was parked with Penny resting her head against Killian arm, her arms looped around his arm as he carried the sword with his good hand. A smile crept on his lips causing him to look down at her once more. "We're going to have a family."

She shined bright next to him. "Yes we are." She agreed.

Everything was perfect. She had her family, Killian, Neal, Henry, Emma, and the Charmings. She had her friends, Ruby, Belle, Jefferson, Victor. Her father was still trapped off in the Enchanted Forest so she never had to worry about losing Killian again. Belle and Jefferson had become an item, falling in love fast. Emma and Neal were together, Victor and Ruby. Everyone was happy. Even the Evil Queen. Things were perfect.

Before they got in to Penny's car, Penny grabbed Killian by the collar of her shirt, and stood on her tip toes, giving him a kiss. He smiled against her lips and kissed her back. "What was that for?" He asked when she finally pulled away.

"Because I love you." She told him honestly. "Thank you for being my happily ever after."

He smiled and kissed her again before murmuring against her lips. "Thank you for being mine."

* * *

**AN:** So this is the end of the story! I hope you all enjoyed the Dark Ones Daughter trilogy! You all were so kind in your reviews and I love you all! I'll probably make a story of one-shots around Christmas time or perhaps sooner if I'm feeling inspired! I just want to thank you guys again for being so great to me! I love you guys! Make sure you guys subscribe to my ff page so you can be updated when I post the one-shots. Or follow me on tumblr! (oohhikate) You guys are the greatest!


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